Crinum americanum

Common Names

String Lily, Crinum Lily, Seven Sisters, Swamp Lily, Florida Swamp-Lily, Southern Swamp Lily, American Crinum Lily, Spider Lily

Summary

Crinum americanum, commonly called swamp lily, is a bulbous perennial native to the southeastern United States. It grows about 2–3 feet tall with evergreen strap-shaped leaves 2–4 feet long and bears a flower stalk 2–3 feet tall topped by an umbel of 2–6 fragrant white flowers (often with pink markings) about 4 inches across. Blooms from June to November. It thrives in very wet soils and habitats such as wetlands, swamps, marshes, and stream banks, tolerating standing water up to 6 inches, and forms clumps suitable for water gardens, ponds, bogs, and moist borders.

For cultivation, it prefers full sun to partial shade and moist to wet organic soils; it is hardy in USDA zones 8–11 (with winter protection or containers in colder areas). Propagation options include division and seeds. Division is easy and tends to bloom sooner. Flowers attract pollinators such as butterflies, moths, and bees; the plant contains alkaloids and is poisonous if ingested.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

24-36 inches

Spread

12-24 inches

Hardiness Zones

Zones 8-11

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally Full Sun to Partial Shade.

Soil Type

Moist to wet soil with high organic matter, tolerates clay, sand, or loam.

Soil Drainage

Moist to wet soil, tolerates shallow standing water (up to about 6 inches) and brief flooding, but not continuously waterlogged.

Soil pH

Acidic to slightly alkaline soils (approximately pH 6.5).

Bloom Color

White, sometimes pink

Bloom Time

Summer and Fall

Foliage Color

Green

Fall Foliage Color

Green

Leaf Lifecycle

Evergreen broadleaf

Growth Rate

Medium

Seasons of Interest

Spring, Summer, and Fall

Propagation Methods

Seeds, Division (bulb offshoots/offsets), Layering (via underground stolons)

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts butterflies, moths, and other pollinators