Candidum hybrid (division 3) They are the rare types of lilies, and are not commercially available. They are mostly cultivated by people who loved rare plants. American hybrid (division 4) By their names, you would know they are natives of the United States and Canada. These lilies have flowers like balloons, and the petals are joined toward their back. Once one group has finished its blossoming, the other group will begin a cycle of their own. (Also, try planting lilies in odd number groups of 3, 5, or 7 bulbs and watch the color combination of their flowers later.) Some stats Lilies are herbaceous flowering plants that normally develop from bulbs. In Chinese, the word lily means forever in love . There are over 100 different known species (and still growing) of the lily plant. These are found mostly in Europe, India, southern Canada, the United States, the Philippines, and in northern parts of the Mediterranean. Variety The major two types of lilies are the Oriental and the Asiatic varieties. It is also not very choosy when it comes to the soil it grows as long as it has good drainage. Orientals Oriental lilies, on the other hand, are getting to be popular. Credit this to their large, exotic blooms with their heady sweet scents. Orientals can be successfully grown if the soil is organic and acidic, with good drainage as well, and heavily mulched each fall. Some of these plants are daylily and peace lily which do not belong to the genus lilium. In finding true lilies, it is best to check their characteristics such as having stiff stems with narrow strap; large flowers that develop at the tip of the stem; either trumpet, bowl or bell shaped that come with petals that are reflexed. Aside from these, there are some interesting uses of lilies and lily buds. In China, dried lily flower buds which are called golden needles or jin zhen in China are used in Chinese cuisine. They are soaked and cooked with mushrooms. In China, baihe gan or the L. brownie bulbs are considered to be a health and luxury food.