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Search Menu Login Reset Password Home Weather Archive Sign Up for Alerts Full Site Close Menu SOUTHERN OREGON JOURNAL Southern Oregon Journal: The famous Southern Oregon Coast Easter lilies By By Peggy Dover for the Mail Tribune April 05, 2015 - 12:01 AM “Consider how the lilies of the field grow ...” I’ve whizzed past the sign countless times on my way to the coast. Sometimes, jostling along on a bunk in the back of Uncle Dick’s camper with a Reinell boat tailing our bumper. We had salmon in our sights those days. Other times, kicking back and wave watching were the sum total of the agenda. Never did I offer more than a smile and a nod toward a quaint local boast — “Easter lily capital of the world.” Come to find out, that narrow strip of coastal soil, rich with alluvial magic from Smith River, California, to Brookings, Oregon, supplies 95 percent of the world's Easter lilies. That’s a whale of a lot of bulbs. It’s hard to believe, with a corner on the market like that, these showy flowers aren’t native to this country. Easter lilies, or Lilium longiflorum, hail from the Ryuku Islands of southern Japan. More than a couple of online resources informed me that in 1919, a WWI soldier named Louis Houghton loaded his duffle with the scaly bulbs and headed home to the Southern Oregon Coast. He gave them to friends and family, and by 1920 commercial production had begun. When 1941 hit, or rather the bombs hit Pearl Harbor, imports from Japan came to a halt, including lilies. The USA, and more specifically our little corner of the coastline, became the largest grower and exporter from that day forward. With ideal climate, soil and moisture, there doesn’t appear to be any place on earth better suited for growing the iconic Easter flower. One could posit that it took two World Wars to make that discovery, an example of good from evil. This time of year, these beauties seem to crop up everywhere. Admiring their slender, white blooms, wrapped for celebration, makes me happy. Maybe it’s because of a memory thread with childhood Easters when I got all dolled up in a lacy dress, white gloves and patent leather shoes. And, of course, locating the hidden Easter basket was a highlight. When I time my visit to the coast just right, I still marvel at the fields of lilies, brilliant and nodding through an evening fog, royal trumpets bound for other towns, affluent and poor, to announce something important and delightful. Easter lilies have long been portrayed in art, literature and history as a symbol of purity, hope and life — symbolizing the spiritual essence of Easter. Growing Easter lilies is extremely painstaking. They require three to four years of growth, and are handled about 40 times before they’re ready for exportation to commercial greenhouses. Bulbs are harvested in the fall and manipulated under controlled conditions in order to bloom at the proper time, which can be tricky because Easter can land on any day from March 22 to April 25. If these flowers grace your home this season, professionals recommend removing any decorative sleeve or covering immediately. They like it cool, 60 to 65 degrees and cooler at night. Avoid placing them in direct sunlight and water moderately, not allowing them to stand in water. Here’s to life, love and a reason to celebrate. Peggy Dover is a freelance writer who lives in Eagle Point. Reach her at [email protected] . Popular Today Comcast deal dropped along with Pac-12 Little baseball cap wasn't a big clue Nats' huge rally overtakes Braves Artists of mystery Pot-sniffing dogs headed for early retirement Quaking and shaking in Medford (Oklahoma, that is) 1-800Flowers.com reports $10.5 million loss in third quarter Latest Photo Galleries home search Full Site video weather daily archive txt alerts about mobile website limelight deals jobs real estate © Copyright Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications | Full Site