UF/IFAS Okeechobee County Extension Service

458 Highway 98 North

Okeechobee, FL 34972-2578

Phone: (863) 763-6469

E- mail:  dfculbert@ifas.ufl.edu

 June 14, 2007

Feature Article - for release the week of June 17, 2007

Dan Culbert - Extension Horticulture Agent

 Spring showers bring June flowers .

 Native Floridians know that our spring occurs sometime way back in January.  Transplanted residents still cling to the idea that spring occurs when April showers bring May flowers.  So what season is it when the dry season slips into those daily buildups of afternoon thunder-showers?  And what are all those pretty little pinkish white flowers that suddenly popped up in lawns and gardens? 

Some gardeners have suggested that these are the “crocus of the south” because they remind them of northern spring flowers.   Known by gardeners as Rainlilies, they recently appeared along with the rain.  They are a sign that our spring is over, and that our Lake may soon start to rise again.

Rainlilies are not really lilies but are members of the Amaryllis family.  They are also called fairy lilies, rainflowers, and zephyr lilies.  The genus name  Zephyranthes comes from Zephyrus, the Greek god of the west wind – which brings in those sudden rains.

Despite the Old-World name, the rainlilies are native to the New World.  They are adapted to a variety of different climates and growing conditions.  Those grown here like rich moist soils that are well drained and have partial shade to full sun.

Of the more than 70 known species, eleven are native to the US, and nine found in Florida.   Unfortunately for local wildflower enthusiasts, only one is a native of Okeechobee County, the Redmargin Zephyrlily, Zephyranthes simpsonii . Other native rainlilies can be found in nearby Central Florida counties.  Many are rare and endangered, so resist the temptation to dig up these beautiful wildflowers.

Quick Color in the Garden

Gardeners are often not satisfied with leaving Mother Nature alone, so many cultivated kinds of rainlilies have been produced. There are many different colors of these dainty beauties, ranging from white to yellow to dark pink.  And if size matters, different rain lily flowers can measure from 3 to 12 inches across.

Common rainlilies grown in Florida include:

• Autumn zephyrlily (Zephyranthes candida) has dainty, white, late summer to spring blooms and rounded, rush-like leaves in a dense clump.
• Cuban zephyrlily (Z. rosea) has rose-pink blooms in late summer
• Yellow zephyrlily (Z. citrina) has one-inch long soft clear yellow flowers that bloom mid-summer; the foliage dies back in cooler weather.
• Rosepink zephyrlily (Z.  grandiflora) is a common cultivar with 3-inch long flowers, ranging from a delicate pale pink to a deep rose.

Each species flowers at different times, with a peak in July and August. A flower bed planted with different kinds of rainlilies can produce many colors one after another for most of the warmer months of the year.

It is thought that it is not the rain that actually causes these flowers to appear, but that flower buds are ready to explode after a sudden change in temperature.  This often happens after a good heavy rain. That’s why they don’t pop out after the plants are irrigated, but natural rainfall brings them out quickly.

From the plant’s standpoint, flowering after a rain means that the three-sided seed capsules will have good growing conditions.  Seed will also get a better chance of ripening, which will take about a month.  Some gardeners spread the ripened black seed to new locations, but if left alone, a thick clump of rainlilies may develop.

The leaves are typical of other amaryllis, but smaller.  Long linear grass-like leaves blend right in to beds of Bordergrass (Liriope).  Rainlilies can get easily hidden if weeds invade the flower bed.

Many rainlilies like full sun, and grow just fine in turfgrass. I went back to take some photos of a local yard that recently flowered, only to discover that a mower had taken care of these pretty pink flowers.  Flowers only last a day or two at most, but the plants will remain in hiding and will rise again if lawn weed killers are avoided.

Adding Rainlilies to Florida Yards

If you want to add rainlilies to your Florida Yard, look for the clumps of the 6-12 inch tall grass-like leaves.  Buried just below the ground will be a small bulb that can be lifted and moved to another suitable spot.  Use care when placing them where kids or pets may graze on them, as the leaves and  bulbs  are toxic.

Look for clumps of plants in nurseries that are already potted up, as they will bloom more quickly.  While they can thrive on neglect, more flowers result if  the clumps are fertilized with compost and mulch. Locally, clumps can be left in local yards, but in cooler climates,  rainlily bulbs are dug, dried off, and kept from freezing.

Dried bulbs can also be purchased and planted, but there will be a longer wait before the dainty flowers will appear.  If you buy them through a catalog or website, plant the bulbs immediately on arrival, as they do not like to be kept dry for too long.  They must be well rooted and with foliage before blooming. 

Rain Barrel Workshop and Garden Club meetings

The next meeting of the Okeechobee Garden Club will be held at our office at 6 PM on Monday June 25, 2007, followed by the Orchid Club at 7 PM. And, our office is holding a Rain Barrel Workshop on Tuesday June 26, 2005 from 5:30 – 7:00 pm.  Call to register and learn how to save rain for your Florida Yard.  

I’ve placed more information on our Okeechobee web page, http://okeechobee.ifas.ufl.edu.  If you need additional information on Rainlilies, please email us at okeechobee@ifas.ufl.edu or call us at 863-763-6469.  Local residents can stop by our office at 458 Hwy 98 North in Okeechobee, and visit our Okeechobee County Master Gardeners from 1 to 3 PM on Tuesday afternoons.   GO GATORS!