Almost Twins

The American and South American Crinums

by Marie Harrison

Amiable Spouse loves to go fishing on the Mitchell River in Walton County, Florida. I ride along, but I use my camera more than I do my fishing pole. On one such excursion, we discovered a group of American crinums blooming on the banks of the river.

It’s hard to describe the splendor of some remote areas that many people never see. Easing down the Mitchell River in a small boat with a trolling motor unveils one mesmerizing scene after another. Tall cypress trees provide homes to ospreys that scour the waterway in search of fish. Swallow-tailed kites soar high above the river, and swallows that nest under the bridges fly low in search of insects.

Along the banks, many species of birds and butterflies flitter among the vegetation. Turtles sun on floating logs and plop into the water as our boat approaches. Of course, those of us who traverse these waters must be on the lookout for water moccasins, alligators and large wasp nests hanging from branches out over the water. However, if we’re careful, we are gifted with a glimpse of nature in the raw.

The American Crinum

On the day we found the American crinums (Crinum americanum) we had motored into a small inlet with slow-moving water. Trees made a canopy overhead, and the banks were marshy, but gnarly, with roots of countless plants. Imagine our delight when we first spied a group of string lilies in full bloom. They crept among tree roots that extended into the water and arose from still pools near water’s edge. We were transfixed by their beauty.

Crinum americanum are members of the Amaryllis family. Growing in clumps, this stoloniferous wildflower (stolons are runners), has leathery leaves, two to four inches wide and two to four feet tall. Leaves are bright green and glossy. Plants are tolerant of salt spray and are a good choice for watery or boggy coastal gardens in Zones 7-10.

Flowers arise on bright green cylindrical stems, one to three feet tall. Each flower is an inflorescence composed of a cluster (umbel) with four to eight spidery florets (single flowers that are part of the cluster). Each floret has six tepals (three sepals and three petals), each tepal being three to four inches long and one-half inch wide at its widest point. The tepals are joined together at the tip of a six-inch-long floral tube. From the floral tube, the tepals spread out and then droop downward. Each floret has showy pink stamens sticking up from the center and giving them an ethereal appearance. Lobed seed capsules, one and a half to two inches thick, are sometimes formed following the flowers.

C. americanum is native to freshwater marshes, cypress swamps and edges of ditches and lakes from northern Florida west to southeast coastal Texas. They occur in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas and North and South Carolina. Wet, rich soil or standing water is required, and plants grow and bloom well in partial to full shade. This herbaceous plant freezes back to the water level in winter, but comes back in spring.

The fragrant white flowers are used in water gardens or bog and pond areas. Blooms can be expected from June through November, or until frost. Common names for this native abound. You may know it as Florida swamp lily, southern swamp crinum or simply string lily.

The South American Crinum

On a visit to Mississippi several years ago, I made a stop at Aunt Gladys’s house. My garden buddy since childhood, she has a lifetime of gardening experience. Some of my favorite plants were gifts from her garden.

While walking around her house and admiring the flowers, I saw a string lily that looked just like Crinum americanum. Of course I asked for a start, which she was very willing to share since the plants were running all over her flower bed.

I brought the string lily home and planted it at the edge of a fig tree. There it has prospered, grown and bloomed for several years. Still, I didn’t know how this lily was related to the lilies Amiable Spouse and I saw growing along the banks of the Mitchell River.

A bit of research revealed that the lily from Aunt Gladys’ garden is Crinum erubescens. This crinum closely resembles our native string lily, but it grows well in ordinary garden soil. Other differences may be discerned upon close inspection. The American swamp lily has bright green flower stems, while the South American crinum often has reddish or purplish stems, depending on the amount of light and other cultural conditions.

You may find Crinum erubescens listed as Crinum americanum forma erubescens or C. americanum var. robustum, or even C. cruentum, which is a different species according to Scott Ogden in Garden Bulbs for the South. However you find it listed, this plant is worth searching out. Site it carefully though. Keep in mind that the fleshy stolons spread vigorously if conditions are to its liking. You may even wish to sink a tub or large container in the ground and plant in it to curtail the plant’s spread.

Both crinums can be grown in gardens. Just remember that C. americanum requires that its feet be in water, while C. erubescens can grow in ordinary garden soil. Why not try one — or both? They will add beauty and grace to your garden. 

 Marie Harrison is a Panhandle Master Gardener who is also a Judge and Floral Design Instructor for the Florida Federation of Garden Clubs. Her books can be found on Alibris.com.

© 2014  Marie Harrison. Originally published in Florida Gardening, Feb / Mar 2014. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Mail-order source: Plant Delights Nursery