Atamasco Lily

Did you know

• Atamasco lily is one of several plants called 'rain lilies' because they bloom most profusely in the days following a heavy spring rain — a phenological response triggered by a rapid drop in soil temperature.
• The common name 'atamasco' comes from the Powhatan word meaning 'it is stained with red,' referring to the pink or red flush that sometimes tints the petals and outer tube of the white flower.
• All parts of the plant are toxic and contain lycorine and other Amaryllidaceae alkaloids — poisoning in livestock has been recorded when pastures flood and the bulbs are displaced to grazing areas.
• Despite growing across much of the Southeast, atamasco lily has declined significantly due to habitat loss — it requires wet, open woodlands and grassy seeps that have largely been drained or developed.
• John Custis of Williamsburg, Virginia, sent atamasco lily bulbs to Philip Miller in London in the 1730s, making it one of the earliest North American bulbs to enter European horticulture.

Color meanings

Uses

• ornamental
• native garden
• rain garden