Back to the Butterfly Garden

Crinum Lily

Crinum americanum

• ​Common Name: Crinum Lily (other names: Florida swamp lily, American crinum, seven sisters, southern swamp lily and string lily) There are over 130 species of Crinums.
  
• Scientific Name: Crinum americanum
  
• Family Name: Amaryllidaceae
  
• Origin: Crinum americanum is a native to Florida.
  
• Height: 1’ – 2’
  
• Width: 1’ – 2’
  
• Growth: Fast growing with moisture, not as fast with drought.
  
• Zone: 7A - 11
  
• Light Needs: Sun to Partial Shade
  
• Salt Tolerance: Moderately
  
• Soil/PH/Texture: They tolerate many soils, from dry sandy soils to wet or well-drained, acidic to neutral (5.6 – 7.5).
  
• Soil Moisture: Very high moisture, they are suitable for bogs and water gardens. They are equally at home in dry sandy soils and on moist pond banks.
  
• Drought Tolerance: Moderate
  
• Pests/Diseases: Crinums can be affected by red blotch fungus, which causes red spots on leaves, or crinum mosaic potyvirus, which causes yellow streaks in the leaves. Spider mites can sometimes be a problem and eastern lubber grasshopper’s love them.
  
• Growing Conditions: Once established, your crinums will require little from you aside from occasional irrigation. Be aware that it may take a few years for the plants to re-flower when planted from offshoot bulbs, plant divisions will bloom more quickly.
  
• Characteristics: This plant has 3 feet long and 3 inches wide leaves that look strap-like. The flowers arise above the leaves on a stalk of their own and will usually have 2 – 6 flowers at the tip. The flowers are white or white and pink, 6 petals, tube-like, 4”-6” long, bloom in the summer and are very fragrant.
  
• Propagation: Dividing rhizomes, tubers, corns or bulbs. They will also produce offsets.
  
• Wildlife: Attracts hummingbirds, bees and butterflies.
  
• Facts: All parts of this plant are poisonous. Some of the older bulbs can weigh 20 lbs.
  
• Designer Considerations: Can be used as cut flowers in bouquets, border, bedding plants surrounded by groundcover so that they will make a dramatic effect or they can be grown in pots for patios. They are dormant in the winter. They are great for water gardens or bog gardening.​
  

Crinum Lily

Location

Butterfly Garden