Hi Tammy,

It sounds like your sister gave you an Asiatic Lily.  Does your plant resemble the picture above? Asiatic lilies (Lilium asiatic) have beautiful flowers that come in orange, red, yellow, pink, and many more colors. They bloom once indoors in April then it’s time to plant them outside. They do well in growing zones 3-10, returning each year with more & more flowers.

While indoors they like bright indirect lightVery few houseplants should be placed in direct sun. High light refers only to bright indirect light since direct sun often burns the leaves of indoor houseplants. An area that is too hot and dry encourages Spider Mites and causes blooms to quickly fade. A northern exposure really doesn't provide enough light for high light plants. These plants need to be placed directly in front of an east-facing window, within 1-3 feet of a west-facing window, and within 5 ft. of a south facing window. A high light area has over 300 ft. candles of light. but no direct sun. Water when the first inch or two of soil is dry. Be careful not to over water or to allow the Asciatic Lily to sit in water. Many lily plants come in a decorative wrap. Remove this wrap when watering so excess water can drain freely and allow the plant to air out before replacing the wrap.

It’s not necessary to fertilize an Asiatic lily while it is in bloom. However, once all of the blooms are gone, and you’ve placed the plant in a sunny spot indoors or planted it outdoors, fertilize every six weeks with a slow release plant food.