Lilies sometimes get a bad rap. The anthers of most lilies contains a thick coating of pollen that rubs off easily and can stain clothing. Handled incorrectly these stains can be difficult or impossible to remove. Hence the bad rap.

The good news is that - handled correctly - the pollen can often be removed without permanent damage. Even more good news, hybridizers have begun to develop pollenp-free varities!

Following are tips for removing pollen from clothing.

1. Do not brush the pollen away with your hands; oils from your skin will set the stain.

2. Let the pollen “dry,” then carefully brush it away with a dry, soft brush, chenille stem, or facial tissue. Adhesive tape also works well; gently dab pieces of tape on the fabric until the pollen is gone. Do not use water or a wet cloth; this will spread and set the stain.

3.If some pollen remains after completing these procedures, place the item in direct sunlight for a few hours; the stain should “magically” disappear.

4. Pollen stains can often be removed from washable fabrics by pretreating them with an enzymatic detergent such as Era.

The Future:
Many florists either remove the anthers as the blooms open or spray the anthers with a fresh flower sealer or fixative.

Over the past few years, the first high quality, true pollen-free lilies have emerged. The first, L.'Tirara', was developed a few years back. Now there are several varieties of pollen-free lilies, including, L. 'Ceres', L. 'Spring Pink', L. 'Orange Cocotte', and L. 'Yellow Cocotte'. These varieties have stamens that look like they contain pollen, but they don't. You get the look without the hassle.