FNPS Plant Database

Crinum americanum

string lily, swamp lily
  • Photo by: John Bradford, Martin County Chapter FNPS
  • Photo by: John Bradford, Martin County Chapter FNPS
  • Photo by: John Lampkin, Nature Coast FNPS
  • Photo by: Ginny Stibolt, Ixia Chapter FNPS

Nomenclature

Common Name:

string lily, swamp lily

Synonym(s):

Genus species:

Crinum americanum

Family:

Amaryllidaceae

Plant Specifics

Form:

flower

Size:

1-2 ft tall by 1 ft wide

Life Span:

Long-lived perennial

Flower Color:

white

Fruit Color:

green

Phenology:

Evergreen, winter dormant. Can bloom at any time of year -- in the north generally in spring. In central Florida, often in late fall-winter.

Noted For:

Showy Flowers, Aroma/Showy Fruitsagrance

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:

Moist wildflower gardens. Easily grown along streams.

Considerations:

Availability:

Native Nurseries

Propagation:

Division of bulbs, seed.

Light:

Full Sun, Part Sun, Shade

Moisture Tolerance:

Always Flooded---------------------------------Extremely Dry

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Aquatic -to- Somewhat moist, no flooding

Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:

Unknown

Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:

Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray

Soil or Other Substrate:

Sand, Loam, Organic

Soil pH:

acidic to neutral

Suitable to Grow In:

8A,8B,9A,9B,10A,10B

USDA zones are based on the average annual extreme minimum winter temperature.



Don't know your zone? Click here to search by zip code.

Ecology

Wildlife:

Pollinators, Caterpillars

Pollinated by sphinx moths. Larval host for Spanish moth a.k.a. convict caterpillar ( Xanthopastis timais )

Native Habitats:

Riverine swamps, riverine marshes, open wet prairies.

Natural Range in Florida:

Comments:

Ethnobotany:

General Comments:

This is a wetland plant, but it will do well once established in a moist garden setting.

Citations:

BONAP. 2014.  http://bonap.net/MapGallery/County/Crinum americanum.png.



Haehle, Robert G. and Joan Brookwell.  1999.  Native Florida Plants.  Gulf Publishing Company.  Houston, TX.



Huegel, Craig, N.  2012.  Native wildflowers and other ground covers for Florida landscapes. University Press of Florida, Gainesville, FL.



Nelson, Gil.  2003.  Florida's Best Landscape Plants. Association of Florida Native Nurseries. (life span)



Wunderlin, R. P., B. F. Hansen, A. R. Franck, and F. B. Essig. 2021. Atlas of Florida Plants ( http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/ ).  Institute for Systematic Botany, University of South Florida, Tampa.

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