From “Diverse Bulbs for the South” in A Garden of One’s Own: Writings of Elizabeth Lawrence, edited by Barbara Scott and Bobby J. Ward:
“Among the plants contributed to American gardens by the warm countries are representatives of the three great bulb families: the Amaryllidaceae, the Liliaceae, and the Iridaceae. Ranging in color from flaming orange and scarlet to clear pink and pure white, and in size from the magnificent crinum to the dainty Brodiaea uniflora [Ipheion uniflorum], they also offer a wide variety in form and foliage.
“The Amaryllis family is a major source of bulbs for mild climates. Their grace and charm is suggested by the poetic and mythological names of some of the genera: Lycoris and Nerine for sea sprites; Amaryllis for the nymph celebrated by Theocritus and Virgil; Hyacinthus for the unfortunate shepherd, beloved of Apollo; and Zephyranthes, flower of the west wind….
“The fairy lilies (Zephyranthes) are charming dwarf amaryllids. In April the low lying meadows from Virginia to Florida are white with our native atamasco lilies (Z. atamasca), but their possibilities for the garden have never been fully realized although they are easily transplanted and respond to cultivation. The atamasco lily is the lily type of zephyranthes. It has single white flowers and very narrow strap-like foliage….
“Z. candida, another white species — called the summer crocus although it blooms in the fall — is the crocus type. The small, cupped flowers tinged with pink on the outside when the nights get cooler appear in September and October, and the perennial leaves make a green edging for winter.”
From “The Rainflower” by Richard Edwards in Green Poems, collected by Jill Bennett:
Down in the forest where light never falls
There’s a place that no one else knows,
A deep marshy hollow beside a grey lake
And that’s where the rainflower grows.
The one silver rainflower that’s left in the world,
Alone in the mist and the damp,
Lifts up its bright head from a cluster of leaves
And shines through the gloom like a lamp.
Far from the footpaths and far from the roads,
In a silence where no birds call,
It blooms like a secret, a star in the dark,
The last silver rainflower of all.
So keep close behind me and follow me down,
I’ll take you where no one else goes,
And there in the hollow beside the grey lake,
We’ll stand where the rainflower grows.
Hello!
Here we have a collection of landscape border plants from Oakland Cemetery, Zephyranthes candida or white Zephyr Lilies. Zephyr Lilies are known by quite a few other common names, including Atamasco Lily, Rain Lily (or Rain Flower), Fairy Lily, Swamp Lily, Wild Easter Lily, and Stagger Grass. Several of the common names are specific to countries or regions, while “Zephyr Lily” reflects the plant’s scientific name; “Rain Lily” and “Rain Flower” represent its habit of blooming in large quantities a day or two after spring or fall showers; “Atamasco Lily” is a close relative similar in appearance but with longer and thinner flower petals; and “Stagger Grass” refers to their intoxicating effect on livestock (which you can read about in my posts from last year, Discovering Zephyr Lilies (1 of 2) and Discovering Zephyr Lilies (2 of 2)).
As is so often the case, Zephyrs aren’t actually lilies — they’re members of the Amaryllis family. Oakland uses them as border plants in several sections of the property, with some in bloom in the spring and early summer, and others blooming in the fall. I tend to notice them more as fall approaches, since there’s less competition from other eye-catching flowers and Zephyrs fill the gap between late-blooming Amaryllis and the October to November waves of asters and mums. Zephyranthes candida has especially bright pure-white flower petals that contrast nicely with their orange anthers, their wispy dark green leaves, and any nearby monuments — so they do tend to attract attention despite their small size.
Thanks for taking a look!
