Roselilies have their beginnings at a Dutch company now called de Looff Lily Innovation BV. The business, founded by Cornelis de Looff, started in the fruit trade and later turned its focus to flower production. His sons–Tonny, Martin and Johan de Looff–became interested in developing new varieties of lilies and, in 1993, created a breeding program. Within a few years, they were surprised to find an Oriental lily of theirs had spontaneously mutated. Its multilayered petals gave this double-flowering lily the look of a rose, so it was dubbed the roselily.