What does a lily symbolize?

Purity, rebirth, renewal and devotion. White lilies also stand for sympathy and the restored innocence of the soul, which is why they're common at funerals.

What does a white lily mean at a funeral?

That the soul of the person who died has returned to peace and innocence. It's among the most traditional sympathy flowers.

What does a stargazer lily mean?

Ambition, prosperity and encouragement. Its bold pink colour and strong scent make it a congratulations flower.

What does a calla lily symbolize?

Magnificence and beauty. Calla lilies are a favourite wedding flower, though they aren't true lilies.

Are lilies poisonous to cats?

Yes. True lilies and daylilies can cause fatal kidney failure in cats, even in small amounts. Don't send them to a home with a cat.

Lily Flower Meaning: White, Stargazer, Calla & More

Lilies mean purity, rebirth, renewal and devotion. They're among the oldest symbolic flowers in the world, painted on Minoan walls more than 3,500 years ago, and they still carry some of the strongest meanings of any flower in a bouquet.

This guide covers what lilies mean in general, what each common type says, why lilies became a funeral flower, and what to know before you send them. For the varieties florists use and the arrangements we deliver, see our lily guide.

What do lilies symbolize?

The core meanings of the lily:

Purity and innocence: above all for white lilies, long tied to the Virgin Mary in Christian art.
Rebirth and renewal: the Easter lily blooms in spring and stands for resurrection.
Devotion and commitment: a reason lilies are a classic wedding flower.
Restored innocence of the soul: the meaning behind lilies at funerals.

In Greek myth, lilies sprang from drops of milk spilled by the goddess Hera, which is part of why they were linked to motherhood and purity. The name comes from the Greek leirion.

Lily meaning by type

Florists use several kinds of lily, and each carries its own shade of meaning:

White lily (Easter lily, Madonna lily): purity, rebirth and sympathy. The classic funeral and Easter flower.
Stargazer lily: ambition, prosperity and encouragement. Bold pink with a heavy perfume; a good congratulations flower.
Asiatic lily: pride and wealth in Asian traditions, and in Western bouquets simply cheer and colour. Unscented, which suits hospitals and small rooms. See our Asiatic lily guide.
Calla lily: magnificence and beauty, and a favourite for weddings. Strictly speaking it isn't a true lily. See our calla lily guide.
Tiger lily: confidence, pride and wealth.
Peruvian lily (alstroemeria): friendship and devotion. Not a true lily either, but one of the longest-lasting flowers in a bouquet.
Peace lily: peace, healing and sympathy. A houseplant rather than a cut flower, and one of the most common sympathy plants. See The Peace Lily.

Lily meaning by colour

Colour shifts the message the same way it does with roses:

White: purity, sympathy and remembrance.
Pink: admiration, femininity and love.
Yellow: joy, gratitude and friendship.
Orange: confidence and passion.
Red: love and passion.

Why lilies are a funeral flower

Lilies are among the most common funeral flowers in Canada. White lilies say that the soul of the person who died has returned to a state of peace and innocence. Their fragrance and their size also make them a natural centrepiece for a service.

The Compassionate Lily Bouquet and the Serene Lily Basket are simple sympathy designs, and our funeral and sympathy collection includes many more. Our guide to what kind of flowers to send for a funeral covers the rest.

Lilies for happy occasions

Lilies aren't only for sympathy. Pink stargazers suit a congratulations, yellow and orange Asiatic lilies brighten a birthday, and white lilies with roses make an elegant anniversary or housewarming gift. Stately Lilies and Lily Sunshine are two cheerful options.

A warning for cat owners

True lilies (Lilium) and daylilies are extremely toxic to cats. Eating a small piece of a leaf or petal, or drinking the vase water, can cause fatal kidney failure. Dogs are much less affected. If the recipient has a cat, send a lily-free arrangement instead. Our list of flowers safe for cats has good alternatives.

One more tip: lily pollen stains fabric and skin. Pinch off the orange anthers as the flowers open, and the blooms will last longer too.

Lilies at Easter and weddings

The white trumpet lily sold every spring as the "Easter lily" is Lilium longiflorum. Most of the potted Easter lilies sold in North America are grown from bulbs raised in a small coastal region on the California-Oregon border, then forced in greenhouses to bloom on time for the holiday. As a symbol of resurrection and hope, it's the centrepiece of many church services and Easter tables. Our Easter collection opens each spring.

At weddings, white lilies and calla lilies stand for devotion and purity. Callas in particular suit modern, minimal bouquets, since a handful of long stems tied with ribbon is a complete look. See our wedding bouquet flowers guide.

How long do lilies last?

Lilies are good value because a single stem carries several buds that open over a week or more, so a bouquet often looks fuller on day five than on day one. Expect one to two weeks in a vase. Recut the stems, change the water every two days, and pull off each bloom as it fades so the buds below get the water. Keep lilies away from direct heat, which makes the buds open and finish quickly.

Sending lilies anywhere in Canada

Flowers on Demand delivers across every province and territory through a network of local florists, who arrange and hand-deliver each order. Delivery is a flat $19.99. For same-day delivery, order before 1:00 PM in the recipient's time zone, Monday to Saturday; there's no Sunday delivery.

Start with our lily arrangements, or find the town you're sending to on our delivery cities page. Local florists occasionally swap a stem for one of similar style and value when a flower is short, so if one flower matters most, say so in the card or delivery note.