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Native Plant Database

Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.

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Crinum americanum (Crinum lily)
Bransford, W.D. and Dolphia

Crinum americanum L.

Crinum lily, Seven sisters, Swamp lily, Southern swamp lily, String lily

Liliaceae (Lily Family)

USDA Symbol: CRAM2

USDA Native Status: Native to U.S.

Swamp lilies are erect plants that grow in small clumps. The leaves grow directly from the bulb and are 2–4 feet long and 2–3 inches wide. The flower stem is about 1 inch in diameter, 2–3 feet tall, with 2–6 flowers forming a showy umber at the top. The fragrant flowers are white, sometimes marked with pink. The sepals are 3–4 inches long and 1/2 inch wide. They are joined at the base, forming a long tube, but curve backward at the end to form a ball-shaped blossom. The upper half of the stamen is purple, with purple anthers extending out from the blossom as the sepals curve backward.

Some authorities place this beautiful flower in the amaryllis family instead of the lily family. It differs from many lilies in that its floral parts are attached above the ovary rather than below.

 

From the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Shrub
Leaf Complexity: Simple
Flower: Flowers 4 inches.
Fruit:
Size Class: 1-3 ft.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: White
Bloom Time: Jun , Jul , Aug , Sep , Oct , Nov

Distribution

USA: AL , AR , FL , GA , LA , MS , NC , SC , TX
Native Distribution: N. FL, w. to s.e. coastal TX
Native Habitat: Freshwater marshes; cypress swamps, ditch & lake edges
USDA Native Status: L48(N)

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Medium
Light Requirement: Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Wet
Soil Description: Wet, rich soils. Sandy, Sandy Loam, Medium Loam, Clay Loam, Clay, Acid-based, Calcareous.
Conditions Comments: Not fussy about the amount of sun or shade it gets. Will bloom in deep shade. Freezes back to water level in winter, but greens up again immediately.

Benefit

Use Ornamental: Water garden, Bog or pond area, Aromatic, Blooms ornamental
Conspicuous Flowers: yes

From the National Suppliers Directory

According to the inventory provided by Associate Suppliers, this plant is available at the following locations:

Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation Native Plant Nursery - Sanibel, FL

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is either on display or available from the following:

Texas Discovery Gardens - Dallas, TX
Crosby Arboretum - Picayune, MS

Bibliography

Bibref 318 - Native Texas Plants: Landscaping Region by Region (2002) Wasowski, S. & A. Wasowski
Bibref 248 - Texas Wildflowers: A Field Guide (1984) Loughmiller, C. & L. Loughmiller

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Recommended Species Lists

Find native plant species by state. Each list contains commercially available species suitable for gardens and planned landscapes. Once you have selected a collection, you can browse the collection or search within it using the combination search.

View Recommended Species page

Additional resources

USDA: Find Crinum americanum in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Crinum americanum in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Crinum americanum

Metadata

Record Modified: 2009-04-24
Research By: TWC Staff

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