The Zephyranthes are a genus of bulbous species in the amaryllis family that are indigenous and
limited to the Western Hemisphere, being an entire American species of Amaryllidaceae. Several dozen
bulbous species occur only in warm temperate to tropical areas, from near sea level to high plateau
and mountain regions.
Some common names include rain lilies, pink fairy lilies, and Zephyr lily. But most people call
the small and delicate zephyranthes rain lilies, because they tend to send up a flush of bloom
about four days after each rainy spell. Often incorrectly listed as Z. rosea or Z. robusta
Judged by many to be the best of the genus, the grandiflora's have large, solitary,
funnel-shaped rose or pink flowers with flaring segments. Blooming throughout the summer, the
flowers are 4 inches across and up to 3 inches long.
Their green, grasslike, flat foliage up to 1-foot-long quickly forms a nice wide clump, and blends
well with mondo grass and liriope. Each clump can have up to 20 flowers open at once for an
absolutely stunning display. Spectacular effects can be achieved when used in mass plantings.
They are great planted along sunny pathways, among pavers, or naturalized in the lawn. For gardeners
in cooler climates north of Zone 7, we recommend you plant them in containers, and place around the
garden for summer enjoyment, then bring the whole container indoors for the winter.
To increase your stock, bulbs are very easy to dig up and divide. The plants usually do not even
seem to notice that they've been moved. If you do dig them up, most often there is lots
of little bulbs sprouting from underneath.
They like an occassional feeding with bulb food, and seem to do better when they are mulched with
sifted compost (not manure or anything high in nitrogen).
