[6] The flowers are large, often fragrant, and come in a wide range of colors including whites, yellows, oranges, pinks, reds and purples.

But a few species native to areas with hot summers and mild winters (Lilium candidum, Lilium catesbaei, Lilium longiflorum) lose their leaves and enter a short dormant period in summer or autumn, sprout from autumn to winter, forming dwarf stems bearing a basal rosette of leaves until, after they have received sufficient chilling, the stem begins to elongate in warming weather.

[27] Meillet maintains that both the Egyptian and the Greek word are possible loans from an extinct, substratum language of the Eastern Mediterranean.

[29] The range of lilies in the Old World extends across much of Europe, across most of Asia to Japan, south to India, and east to Indochina and the Philippines.

[30] Fences as high as 8 feet may be required to prevent them from consuming the plants, an impractical solution for most wild areas.

Some lilies, especially Lilium longiflorum, form important cut flower crops or potted plants.

Some species and cultivars have strong wiry stems, but those with heavy flower heads are staked to stay upright.

The scarlet beetle lays its eggs and completes its life cycle only on true lilies (Lilium) and fritillaries (Fritillaria).

Commonly used chemicals include ancymidol, fluprimidol, paclobutrazol, and uni-conazole, all of which are applied to the foliage to slow the biosynthesis of gibberellins, a class of plant hormones responsible for stem growth.

[62] Lilium longiflorum has been used for studying aspects of the basic molecular mechanism of genetic recombination during meiosis.

[68] Veterinary help should be sought, as a matter of urgency, for any cat that is suspected of eating any part of a lily – including licking pollen that may have brushed onto its coat.

Due to the high mortality rate, medical care should be sought immediately once it is known a cat came into contact with lilies, ideally before any symptoms develop.

viridulum, known as 百合 (pak hop; pinyin: bǎi hé; Cantonese Yale: baak hap; lit.

[citation needed] They may be reconstituted and stir-fried, grated and used to thicken soup, or processed to extract starch.

[citation needed] Their texture and taste draw comparisons with the potato, although the individual bulb scales are much smaller.

[citation needed] The commonly marketed "lily" flower buds, called kam cham tsoi (Chinese: 金针菜; pinyin: jīnzhēncài; Cantonese Yale: gāmjām choi; lit.

[a][76] Flowers of the H. graminea and Lilium bulbiferum were reported to have been eaten as well, but samples provided by the informant were strictly daylilies and did not include L.

[b][78] Lily flowers and bulbs are eaten especially in the summer, for their perceived ability to reduce internal heat.

[79] A 19th century English source reported that "Lily flowers are also said to be efficacious in pulmonary affections, and to have tonic properties".

[91][92][e] There is also the yuri-yōkan, one recipe of which calls for combining measures of yuri starch with agar dissolved in water and sugar.

[96][97] Because a certain Viscount Jimyōin wrote a waka poem about the confection which mentioned hime-yuri "princess lily",[f] one source stated that the hime-yuri (usually taken to mean L. concolor) had to have been used,[96] but another source points out that the city of Hamada lies back to back with across a mountain range with Fuchu, Hiroshima which is renowned for its production of yama-yuri (L.

But Japanese sources c. 1895–1900,[98][103] give a top-three list which replaces kooni yuri with the sukashi-yuri (透かし百合, lit.

[104][105] There is uncertainty regarding which species is meant by the hime-yuri used as food, because although this is usually the common name for L. concolor in most up-to-date literature,[106] it used to ambiguously referred to the tiger lily as well, c.

[i] The flower buds and roots of Lilium columbianum are traditionally gathered and eaten by North American indigenous peoples.

[107] Coast Salish, Nuu-chah-nulth and most western Washington peoples steam, boil or pit-cook the bulbs of Lilium columbianum.

[115] Lilies are the flowers most commonly used at funerals, where they symbolically signify that the soul of the deceased has been restored to the state of innocence.

[116] Lilium formosanum, or Taiwanese lily, is called "the flower of broken bowl" (Chinese: 打碗花) by the elderly members of the Hakka ethnic group.

[117] A different viewpoint proposes that parents discourage kids from picking lilies by informing them of the possible repercussions, like their dinner bowls breaking if they harm the flower.

The indigenous Rukai people who call this same species bariangalay consider it as a symbol of bravery and perseverance.

[118] In Western Christianity, Madonna lily or Lilium candidum has been associated with the Virgin Mary since at least the Medieval Era.