Cut Flower Care and Handling: Asiatic Lily

Lily_iStock_000015291850LargeFloralife has expanded the Flower Care and Handling section of our website to offer a bunch of useful tips for the postharvest processing of many different varieties of cut flowers. Grower, wholesaler, retailer, enthusiast – there’s usually something for everybody. Let’s keep going down the list! Today’s star is the Asiatic Lily!

As the name suggests, the Asiatic Lily originated in Asia but now thrives throughout the temperate Northern Hemisphere, and even into the northern subtropics. The Lily comes in a variety of colors, including white, orange, yellow, pink, and red.

As always, Floralife has some practical Asiatic Lily care and handling tips for the grower, the wholesaler and the retailer. Here is a preview.

For the Grower: The Asiatic Lily is ethylene sensitive, so treat with Floralife® EthylBloc Technology right after harvest to help prevent ethylene damage. Also, after harvest, hydrate the Lily with Floralife® PAL for a minimum 2 hours. Be sure to recut the stems and remove any leaves below the level of the hydration solution.

For the Retailer: Recut the stems and hydrate the Lily with Floralife® Hydraflor 100 for 1-2 hours (outside of cooler) or 4-12 hours (inside the cooler). After that, place them into a holding flower food treatment such as Floralife® Clear 200 and store in cooler.

In the Vase: Re-cut the Lily stems and place them in a flower food vase solution such as Floralife® Bulb Food 300. A finishing spray such as Floralife® Finishing Touch® will help ensure the Lily’s freshness.

That’s a quick preview of Floralife’s Asiatic Lily Care and Handling article. There is more at the original piece, including discussion on storage temperatures and special care recommendations, so take a look! Are you a fan of the Asiatic Lily, as a professional or an enthusiast? Let us know in the comments section!