Wikimedia Commons
Amaryllidaceae
Crinum Lily
Crinum × powellii
Resilience, undying beauty, southern gardens.
- Family
- Amaryllidaceae
- Genus
- Crinum
- Native to
- South Africa
- Bloom season
- Summer
- Type
- Perennial bulb
- Height
- 60–120 cm
- Sunlight
- Full sun to part shade
- Soil
- Rich, well-drained
- Water
- Moderate
- Hardiness
- 7–11
- Lifespan
- Extremely long-lived; bulbs persist for generations
Did you know
- Crinum bulbs are some of the largest in the plant world — some species produce bulbs weighing over 40 pounds (18 kg).
- Old crinum clumps in the American South have survived through hurricanes, droughts, and abandoned homesteads — they're sometimes the only surviving sign of a vanished house.
- Crinums are nicknamed 'cemetery lilies' because they've been planted on Southern graves since the 1800s and many still bloom faithfully each summer.
- The fragrant pink-and-white striped flowers can be 6 inches (15 cm) across and resemble true lilies despite being in the amaryllis family.
- Some species grow naturally in seasonal wetlands and can survive being submerged underwater for weeks.
Color meanings
Pink
Enduring grace