Good Morning!

  There are some plants that just seem to scream "Deep South" when you see them.  Camellias, Grandiflora Magnolias and Madonna Lilies fit the bill perfectly and can be seen dotted everywhere.  Most older gardens and even abandoned home sites from long ago will have ages old plants.  The Madonna Lilies are some of those things that never seem to fully die.  There have been home plots that literally have been plowed, covered in topsoil and sodded but still will have the lilies pop up and surprise the new homeowners.  You never really know just where the plants will suddenly sprout which makes them fully a surprise.  Roadsides, fields and well-tended yards seem to be graced with the white lilies!

  This morning before daylight, I rolled over and looked out the window.  I could see the tall Madonna Lily gracefully bobbing its head full of buds in the Bay breeze.  There was just enough light for the bright white buds to stand out against the darkness that surrounded it.  Seeing the buds made me realize that by this afternoon, there would be some of the sweet-scented blooms opening.  I smiled and made my way out of bed.  What a delightful wake-up image!

  Madonna Lilies actually originated in Asia and have been naturalized in most parts of the world.  Down here in the Deep South, it goes by a number of names including Snow Lily (flowers as white as snow), Morning Star Lily (five petals like a five-pointed star) and even Death Lily (blooms were used a lot at funerals in the past).  The name Death Lily could also be attributed to the fact that, like a good many lilies, it is reportedly toxic to cats.  If ingested the lily can cause kidney failure and death.  Even the pollen collected the fur of a cat (then licked clean) can cause major problems.  I cannot attest to the toxicity of the plant but it might be worth thinking about before planting a Madonna Lily in the garden.

   Here, they grow wild.  They pop up in the yard, woods and even occasionally in the marsh. I have tried moving the bulbs but never seem to be successful.  The lilies grow where they deem perfect so I just let the thrive wherever.  The one outside the window brightened my day from the moment I awoke.  What more could you ask?  The perfect greeting to start the day!