The Encyclopedia of Arda - an interactive guide to the world of J.R.R. Tolkien
Location
Widespread, though most commonly associated with the lands of Gondor
Species
More than a hundred species within the genus Lilium
Meaning
Derived from Latin lilium, of uncertain origin
Note
Not to be confused with water-lilies, which, though they share a similar name and are sometimes called simply 'lilies', are in fact a distinct and unrelated kind of flower

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About this entry:

  • Updated 5 March 2023
  • This entry is complete

Lilies

"Tall grows the grass there. In the wind from the Sea
The white lilies sway...
"
Legolas' song of Lebennin
The Return of the King V 9
The Last Debate

Large flowers that grow on slender stalks, that in Middle-earth were found at least in the Gondorian lands of Lebennin and Ithilien. In the modern world, lilies can grow in a variety of colours and patterns, but in Tolkien's world they're always referred to as being white: in the quote above, for example, and in the description of Éowyn in her illness as 'white as a lily' (The Lord of the Rings V 8, The Houses of Healing). Among Gandalf's amazing array of fireworks was one in the shape of a lily, which could famously hang in the air throughout an entire evening.


Indexes:

About this entry:

  • Updated 5 March 2023
  • This entry is complete

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