Common Atamasco-lily Zephyranthes atamasco
Other Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Amaryllis atamasca
- Atamosco atamasca
- Zephyranthes atamasca
- Phonetic Spelling
- ze-fi-RANTH-eez at-uh-MAS-koh
- This plant has high severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
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Rain lily is a native onion-like perennial bulb in the Amaryllidaceae (lily) family that is native to SE USA and NC in mainly the coastal and Piedmont areas. In nature, it is found bottomland forests and adjacent road shoulders, wet meadows, and sometimes in upland forests over mafic rocks. The name zephros is Greek for west wind and anthos means flower.
Plant in full sun to partial shade in moist to wet organically rich soils. Occasionally add some leaf mold to the soil. It will tolerate seasonal flooding and will bloom best if it receives at least 2 hours of direct sunlight a day. This bulb is frost sensitive so only thrives in areas that do not have deep winter freezes.
The foliage is grass-like and may be easy to miss with no blooms. The showy fragrant trumpet flowers are white, sometimes tinged with pink in the spring. They can be a welcome bright spot in an otherwise shady landscape planting. It can spread from bulb offsets to form colonies. The plant goes dormant in summer so plan for the space in the landscape.
Rain lily was selected as the 2010 NC Wildflower of the Year, a program managed by the North Carolina Botanical Garden with some financial support from the Garden Club of North Carolina.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Zephyranthes
- Species:
- atamasco
- Family:
- Amaryllidaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Bulb
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Division
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- SE USA
- Distribution:
- AL, FL, GA, MD, MS, NC, SC, VA
- Dimensions:
- Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 0 ft. 6 in. - 1 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Bulb
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Native Plant
- Poisonous
- Wildflower
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Clumping
- Erect
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Frequent Standing Water
- Moist
- Occasionally Wet
- Available Space To Plant:
- Less than 12 inches
- 12 inches-3 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Spring
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Fruits are thin-walled, dry capsules with shiny black seeds from May to June.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Pink
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Head
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Shape:
- Trumpet
- Flower Petals:
- 6 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- 3 in. long erect, waxy, lily-like white flowers that turn pink with age; borne singly on 12-inch stems. Bloom from March to April.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Glossy
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Other/more complex
- Leaf Shape:
- Linear
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- Grass-like leaves are glossy green, linear, flat to somewhat concave, up to 1/2 inch wide and one foot in length.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- Hollow, green, leafless flower stalks about 12 inches tall.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Coastal
- Container
- Meadow
- Naturalized Area
- Near Septic
- Pond
- Riparian
- Small Space
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Cottage Garden
- Native Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Rain Garden
- Design Feature:
- Accent
- Border
- Mass Planting
- Attracts:
- Pollinators
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Wet Soil
- Problems:
- Poisonous to Humans
- Problem for Cats
- Problem for Dogs
- Problem for Horses
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Poisonous to Humans:
- Poison Severity:
- High
- Poison Symptoms:
- May be fatal if eaten though it is so bitter it I difficult to ingest enough. Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
- Poison Toxic Principle:
- Alkaloids lycorine and others
- Causes Contact Dermatitis:
- No
- Poison Part:
- Flowers
- Fruits
- Leaves
- Roots
- Stems
