Rain Lilies, The Crocus of the Tropics

[Silas_Sancona]

In a year that has been somewhat subdued around the garden this summer,  A bright spot, poking up to sprinkle color through a lot of green, has been my collection of Rain Lilies, or more correctly, any of the  bulb- forming plants in both the genus Zephyranthes and Habranthus..  These low growing plants, native from the Southeastern states, Texas, and Arizona, down to South America add both movement and soft texture, via grassy looking foliage, and periodic firework display- worthy displays of color when soaked ...either by nature itself, or the hose.  On top of that, they are one of the easiest companion plants for creating naturalized drifts of color around the garden, requiring minimal water.. or very little, depending on the species.

Some will remain evergreen, or disappear until being soaked again.  Some produce little foliage but surprise when rain triggers a mass flowering display.  They are admired enough to have been passed around world-wide with several ardent admirers dedicating lots of their time and effort to hybridizing. In some areas around the globe they have become near- invasive but really don't seen to degrade areas they colonize. 

Flowering cycles depend on the species, and amount of water they receive.. Have had some flower as early as mid April, and others as late as October.. The nice thing is many will flower several times through the warm season and sometimes out of season in places like Florida, or South Texas. Most of the commonly encountered species will offset and seed fast enough to create large colonies in a short amount of time.. Others are a bit slower, but build up their steadily.

Flower color is typically Yellow, Yellow Orange, White, and shades of Pink but in the last several years, those hybridizing them have created crosses with deeper Orange and Red flowers. Less commonly seen species add pale yellow, and Lilac that fades to Blue to the mix. Some, like the common Texas species, Zephyranthes drummondii are intensely fragrant and also contribute the large flower size to crosses involving that species. Successful attempts involving both Genus have been made with sister genus such as Spreckelia ( Aztec Lilies ) and Rhodophiala ( Ox Blood Lilies ) in recent years as well.

Unlike traditional Crocus that are restricted to relatively cold climates and despise hot dry places, there are a few species of Rain Lilies that will survive and cultivated in zone 8 or 7b and thrive where it is much warmer.

Unfortunately, the two genus are often miss labeled in the nursery trade with some places labeling Zephyranthes species as Habranthus, or reverse.. regardless, same general culture, watering, etc.. Rarer species are slowly becoming more available as well.  Great when allowed to create drifts below / in between other plants, or in containers.

Some of mine:

Texas Copper Lily, Habranthus tubispathus/H. t. var. texanus ( Formally listed under the now defunct Genus Cooperia ) This is one of the Hide and Seek species, frequently flowering w/ out leaves that appear briefly either right after the flowers, or in the winter. Likes drier conditions and rockier/ grittier soil.  Slow but steady to form drifts but spectacular when hundreds of flowers suddenly appear out of a patch of bare soil.





Citrine/Yellow/ Golden Rain Lily, Zephyranthes **Likely citrina** Sometimes sold as Zeph. sulphurea, which doesn't exist..  The **Likely** was added due to this species near perfect resemblance to another species, Z. flavissima. Both have been cultivated in the Hort. trade and quite likely miss labeled. Z. citrina originates in far S. Texas down to the Yucatan and likes drier spots/ tends to go dormant. Z. flavissima originates in South America and hangs out closer to water/ moister places/ can remain more evergreen out of flower. Regardless,  Both are very easily grown and spread at a steady rate. Always flowers in mid-late summer for me. Crossed this with another sp. last year and waiting to see what the seedlings will look like. Crossed it w/ a Pink Flowered sp. i have this year.. Just to see what happens. 









Brazos Rain Lily, Zephyranthes Chlorosolen This is one of the two intensely fragrant, most commonly cultivated, white- flowering species, both from Texas, and is sometimes miss- labeled as Z. drummondii but typically has smaller flowers that are more funnel shaped and long tubed where as flowers of Z. drummondii are quite large and flatter-faced w/ a shorter floral tube when open. Z. chlorosolen is evergreen for me but only flowers -repeatedly- during the summer. Z. drummondii can flower earlier. Quite a prolific seeder as well.. Threw a 1 gal into a 25 gal pot to establish a colony i can divide later and it was filled with expanding plants/ sprouting seedlings within about a year and a half..





Zephyranthes/Habranthus robustra ( Pics # 1-2 ) and Zephyranthes grandiflora/ minuta ( # Pics 3-5 ) Talk about a ball of confusion.. Both of these commonly encountered Rain Lilies have been passed around so much that they are often miss- labeled and sold as a non existing species ( Z. grandiflora ) Culture is about the same.. Tend to be semi evergreen if provided enough moisture, have large flowers, and are steady spreaders. Z./H. robustra flowers a bit earlier ( mid-late spring for me ) than Z. grandiflora/minuta.

Z./H. robustra..




Zeph. grandiflora/minuta...







Zephyranthes X "Prairie Sunset"  While this cultivar adds a nice pinky orange that fades more pink.. it is often a somewhat shy flowered cultivar. Wants to build itself up before it begins flowering well after planting. Can be evergreen w/ regular water or will go dormant until soaked. Supposedly sterile.. My colony has yet to form seed.





Numerous others to look for/ grow. Z. atamasco and Z. candida are very commonly sold in nurseries, esp. in the Southeast.  Waiting for the prices come down before trialing some of  the red flowering cultivars.. ( Have seen offers for a SINGLE bulb ranging from $125.00 to $300.00 ..EACH! )

Enjoy..

Edited September 17, 2020 by Silas_Sancona
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[Peter]

Did someone mention Sprekelia?   Flowers several times per year and thrives on neglect.

[Silas_Sancona]

1 hour ago, Peter said:

Did someone mention Sprekelia?   Flowers several times per year and thrives on neglect.

Yep, Very easy.. Even survive here ( but don't flower ) Ox Blood Lilies ( Rhodophiala ) are just as tough and spread easily as well. Several uncommon/rarer species of both Genus becoming available that are worth looking for.

[Fusca]

15 hours ago, Silas_Sancona said:

In a year that has been somewhat subdued around the garden this summer,  A bright spot, poking up to sprinkle color through a lot of green, has been my collection of Rain Lilies

Interesting thread - not too familiar with most of these and didn't know there were so many different colors.  Mostly seen Zephyranthes chlorosolen around and a few of the pinkish ones.  I grew some of the Zephyranthes chlorosolen in a container once where I had sown several seeds.  They aren't as drought tolerant in a container but still lasted several years in a pot outside with little to no care.

[greysrigging]

Rain lillies are reasonably common in Darwin gardens, and can often be found for sale at local markets. The pink  and yellow flowering varieties are the most popular in cultivation. The flower displays are always prompted by rain events ie big thunderstorms, or a period on monsoonal rain.
They die back, become dormant in the 'dry season', although if watered during the seasonal drought, they retain their thin strappy leaves. In our climate, they do better in sunshine, rather than shade.
 

 

Edited September 17, 2020 by greysrigging

[Silas_Sancona]

33 minutes ago, Fusca said:

Interesting thread - not too familiar with most of these and didn't know there were so many different colors.  Mostly seen Zephyranthes chlorosolen around and a few of the pinkish ones.  I grew some of the Zephyranthes chlorosolen in a container once where I had sown several seeds.  They aren't as drought tolerant in a container but still lasted several years in a pot outside with little to no care.

Weird.. The colony i have ( Z. chlorosolen ) has been bulletproof, even when i forget to water and it decides to go dormant.. Soak the pot ( actually a wide 7 gal.. Not a 25gal like i thought.. Not sure how i mixed that up ) a couple times and they're up and flowering within a week.. They were miss labeled as as Z. drummondii at the nursery i acquired them from..  That sp. is next on my " to-add " list. That species is supposedly very drought tolerant ( was growing/ flowering all over rest stops n.w. of San Antonio i'd stopped at when passing through the area during the summer ) and forms a huge bulb that can sink itself a couple feet down in the soil.

To add to the confusion, Texas has at least 1 other species, Z. traubii. South of TX, the commonly sold " San Carlos " form from Mexico has much narrower leaves, compared to those growing in Texas, looking somewhat like Z. candida.

As far as species, there's something like 70 in Zephyranthes.. Habranths has about 82 listed on Wikipedia. Pacific Bulb Society lists 19 or so currently.. Would bet the Wiki includes all the species that were once listed under Cooperia and a couple other now scrapped Genus in the past. That's not including all the cultivars and natural crosses. Fadjar Marta, from Indonesia, was a serious hybridizer and created numerous crosses before he passed away sometime this year. Think he was solely responsible for all the original, red flowered crosses as well.. Anyway..

** Quick note ( i forgot to add ) to my original post**  Apparently, the Pacific Bulb Society ( P.B.S. ) recognizes Z. grandiflora  and Z. minuta as legit. and separate species. Minuta, at least via. P.B.S.'es description is a smaller, and white-ish flowering species. Wikipedia, and a few other information sources on the web suggests otherwise. Some add one or two other pink flowered species to the " Often sold as Z. grandiflora" discussion also.  Confusing for sure, lol..