Rain Lily

Location

Native Plants

  • Common Name: Rain Lily
  • Scientific Name: Zephyranthes atamasca
  • Family Name: Amaryllidaceae
  • Origin: Southeast United States
  • ​Height: 0.5 to 1 ft
  • Width: 1 to 2 ft
  • Growth: Medium
  • Zone: USDA Zones 7 to 10
  • Light needs: Full sun to part sun
  • Salt tolerance: Low
  • Soil/pH/Texture: Prefers moist, rich, well-drained soil, with an acidic to neutral pH between 5.0 and 7.2.
  • Moisture: Mesic water needs – soil should be kept moist. Can tolerate occasional flooding.
  • Drought tolerance: Low
  • Pests/Diseases: Snails and slugs may chew on the leaves.
  • Growing conditions: Should be grown in a warm, moist, and sunny area. It should get at least 2 hours of direct sunlight, or three or more hours of dappled light, in order to bloom properly. It is not drought tolerant and will need additional watering during dry spells. It is tolerant of seasonal flooding and natural grows near floodplains, so it is suitable for planting in low areas.
  • Characteristics: This plant tends to grow in clumps of multiple individuals that are usually 1 to 2 ft wide. Leaves grow from the base and are long (10-15 in), thin, and grass-like. Flowers grow at the ends of upright, basal stems. The flowers are large, white, and six-petaled, with prominent bright yellow anthers which grow from its green center. Although individual plants are short-lived, clumps may persist for many years. Seeds grow in pods on the ends of stems.
  • Propagation: By seeds or clump division.
  • Wildlife: It attracts large pollinators such as bees and moths.
  • Facts: All parts of the plant are poisonous when ingested, so make sure to plant it in an area where children and pets can’t access it. In the wild it grows in swampy forests and floodplains.
  • Designer considerations: It is a great plant for mass plantings, borders, and edges, especially in low areas or along ponds and streams. However, it quickly goes dormant after flowering, so make sure to interplant other flowering plants.
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