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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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Hymenocallis palmeri (Alligator lily)
Cressler, Alan

Hymenocallis palmeri

Hymenocallis palmeri S. Watson

Alligator Lily

Liliaceae (Lily Family)

Synonym(s): Hymenocallis humilis

USDA Symbol: HYPA4

USDA Native Status: L48 (N)

The Alligator Lily is a member of the lily family (family Liliaceae) which includes mostly perennial herbs from rhizomes, bulbs, or corms, some rather woody and treelike, and often showy flowers in racemes or branched racemes.

The family is extremely complex and botanists estimate 250 genera and 4,000-6,000 species. Many, including tulips and day lilies, are handsome ornamentals. Asparagus, Sarsaparilla, onions, and the medicinally useful Aloe are from the family. A few species are poisonous.

 

From the Image Gallery

3 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Leaf Complexity: Simple
Fruit Type: Capsule
Size Notes: Scape up to about 2 feet tall.

Bloom Information

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

Distribution

USA: FL , GA

National Wetland Indicator Status

Region:AGCPAKAWCBEMPGPHIMWNCNEWMVE
Status: OBL
This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.1 (Lichvar, R.W. 2013. The National Wetland Plant List: 2013 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2013-49: 1-241). Click here for map of regions.

Bibliography

Bibref 1620 - Gardening with Native Plants of the South (Reprint Edition) (2009) Wasowski, S. with A. Wasowski

Search More Titles in Bibliography

Web Reference

Webref 57 - Atlas of Florida Plants (2020) Institute for Systematic Botany
Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

Additional resources

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

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-04-11
Research By: TWC Staff

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