Swamp Lily (Crinum americanum)

A Native Lily for Wet Places

The Crinum americanum is a native lily better known as a “Swamp Lily” or “String Lily.” Native to the southern United States in zones 8–11, the white spidery blooms begin to appear around late April and early May, and if planted in the right conditions, can continue into October. They make large clumps and showy displays in settings that are often too hostile to other bulbs and plants. They produce multiple softball-size blooms atop strong stalks amid dark green foliage. In pond areas, they look like islands of white color.

A One-of-a-Kind Native

The Swamp Lily is one-of-a-kind and rarely seen in gardens. As gardeners, we are always looking for something to make our garden beautiful yet connected to our environment. The Swamp Lily offers a unique opportunity to satisfy both goals. As a native, though, we want to be very clear: natives like to be in specific conditions.

Important: The native habitat for this bulb is an environment that is wet and boggy all the time. Examples include constantly wet ditches, spillways from lakes, pond edges, or rain gardens. If the area stays wet and boggy year-round, this bulb will continue producing blooms into October.

This native is different from the Hymenocallis liriosme (Texas Spider Lily), which likes to be wet in the spring but DRY in the summer for its dormant period.

Blooming

When the Swamp Lily blooms, the white “spiders” sit on tall, narrow stems. The dark green stems usually stand about 2 feet tall, but can grow up to 3 feet depending on conditions. The lily-like white blooms usually appear in April, and as long as the bulb stays damp, it will continue to produce flowers through September. Each petal bends outward like a star showing pinkish stamens. Each stalk produces 2–6 blooms which can be cut and used indoors. The Swamp Lily has a light sweet fragrance.

Planting

This bulb does not do well planted in a pot. The Swamp Lily performs best planted in full sun, though it can tolerate a little shade. It does not have to be planted in water, but it thrives in moist to wet soil. It can be planted directly in shallow water (just cover the roots) or in very damp soil.

In a regular garden bed: Keep it well-watered throughout the summer and all year long, as this lets it continue growing and producing blooms. This bulb prefers consistently moist soil. It benefits from rich, organic soil that keeps the soil from drying out. Drying out can stress this bulb.

Resilience

The Swamp Lily is a hardy plant that grows easily in zones 8–11, and can be planted in zone 7b with extra care and winter protection. The green strapping leaves are 2–4 feet long and several inches wide, creating an impressive display of foliage even when not in bloom.

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