Madonna lily

The Madonna lily, scientifically known as Lilium candidum, is a widely cultivated Eurasian lily celebrated for its bell-shaped to broad funnel-shaped white flowers. This plant belongs to the genus Lilium, which comprises 80 to 100 species of herbaceous flowering plants native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere.12

Lilies are prized ornamental plants and have been extensively hybridized. The Madonna lily, in particular, has a long history of cultivation, dating back to Asia Minor in the 2nd millennium BCE, where its bulb was used for medicinal ointments and food. In ancient Greece and Rome, it was grown for ornamental and medicinal purposes. During the Middle Ages, the Madonna lily became a symbol of purity, often associated with the Virgin Mary.23