NOT EVERTHING THAT LOOKS LIKE A LILY IS ONE

Lilies are among the most popular flowers. They have great “eye appeal,” just like roses, orchids, to name a few. They occur in just about every common color you can name. There are MANY different types of lilies, but the main ones (“True Lilies” and “Day Lilies”) are the subject of this blog and are shown below. 

The correct spelling is lily; plural form is lilies.

The classification of true lilies is:

Kingdom Plantae

Clades (3 of them)

Order Liliales

Family Liliaceae

Genus Lilium

Type Species: Lilium candium Linnaeus

Liliaceae most likely originated approximately 68 million years ago, during Late Cretaceous time (Wikipedia, 2025). This family is native to temperate regions of Asia, Europe, and North America. There are many hybrids of these flowers with a vast array of colors.

So far, so go, eh? Now brace yourself. There are also flowers known as “day lilies,” which belong to genus Hemerocallis, family Asphodelaceae. These flowers are not true lilies, but they do look like at true lilies at first glance. 

There are considerable differences in morphology between true lilies and day lilies, and the comparisons I list below should  be helpful.

TRUE LILIES

Order Liliales

Family Liliaceae

Genus Lilium, >100 species

Many colors (including white); just like any other popular flower you can mention)!

Grow from bulbs.

Its leaves are relatively few and smooth.

The plants are perennials.

Flowers last for several days or even weeks.

Plants grow up to 4 feet tall.

Poisonous to cats.

COMMON EXAMPLES: tiger lily, Easter lily

                                                                              FIGURE 1: TRUE LILIES

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DAY LILIES [are not true lilies]

Order Hemerocallis 

Family Asphodelaceae 

Genus Hemerocallis [Greek: meaning “day” and “beautiful”]; many species.

Grow from tuberous roots (= rhizomes) and have grass-like foliage at the base. 

Leaves are long, flat, and strap-like; they grow in clumps mostly near the ground.

The leaves are numerous and very close to each other, thereby producing a look.

Flowers typically last only a day or so, but new flowers on the same plants show up all the time.

Native to Asia and central Europe.

1 to 4 feet tall.

30,000 named varieties.

       

  FIGURE 2. DAY LILIES.                                                                     

Reference:

Wikipedia, 2025

NO ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (A.I.) HAS BEEN USED (NOR EVER WILL BE)  IN THE PREPARATION OF MY BLOG POSTS.