How many new homeowners were left scratching their heads when a stand of crocus flowers suddenly popped up in the middle of summer? In fact, many people unfamiliar with the rain lily mistake this flower for the crocus, as they are similar in size and shape. There are many reasons you should get to know this underused perennial flower bulb, which will spread abundantly in your flower garden with little or no care.

Latin Name:

Zephyranthes

Common Names:

Rain lily, zephyr lily, fairy lily, rain flower

Zone:

USDA growing zones 7-11

Size:

3-18 inches

Exposure:

Full sun is best, but afternoon shade is tolerated

Bloom Period:

Early summer until frost, depending on the variety. An individual flower will only last a few days, with the heaviest flush of bloom occurring first. The bulbs will bloom occasionally throughout the rest of the season.

Description:

Rain lilies generally produce three upright petals and three identical sepals, ranging from narrow to broad. The foliage is grassy and bright green, and tends to flop over.

Planting:

Choose an area in full sun with average to rich garden soil. The bulbs exhibit tolerance to a wide range of drainage situations, so try your luck with these in both boggy and sandy conditions. Plant the bulbs in the fall four to eight inches deep; plant deeper in sandy soil or if you live in a marginal growing zone and want to ensure hardiness.

Maintenance:

While rain lilies can survive periods of drought, you won’t see their flowers until a summer soaking triggers the blooms to appear.

You can choose to wait out the drought, or irrigate the flowers thoroughly to prompt flowering.

In areas where rain lilies are hardy, you can leave them in the ground all year. North of USDA growing zone 7, you must dig the bulbs in the fall and store them in a frost free area over the winter. Rain lily foliage is mostly evergreen, but you can cut it back on occasion, or even mow it in a meadow garden, without ill results.

Design Tips:

As with many small flowering bulbs, rain lilies look best when planted in large drifts. On the other hand, if you have a small garden and can’t afford to dedicate that much real estate to one flower type, a group of a dozen rain lilies looks splendid tucked in beside a boulder, or peeking out between other sun-loving summer flowers like begonias, million bells, or guinea impatiens. Wherever you decide to plant them, keep them at the front of the border or close to the garden path so you can see the diminutive blooms.

Varieties:

Unnamed white and pink rain lilies are the most common and easiest to find, but do a little digging to find these named cultivars that will bring a range of colors to your flower garden:

• Abacos Apricot: Also known as August grass, this native of the Bahamas features coral blooms with a yellow center
• Bangkok Peach: From July til early fall, enjoy the most delicate pale peach hued blooms
• Beni Tama: Flowering begins in June, with pink blooms and prominent yellow stamens
• Big Dude: Broad white petals have a hint of lavender frost, making them glow in the night garden.
• Rose Perfection: A rare selection sporting perfectly pink flowers with a central white stripe on each petal
• Star of Bethlehem: Vivid orange flowers with some yellow streaking
• Fedora: Large white flowers begin early, in May, and continue throughout the summer
• Lily Pies: If you must choose just one, let it be this striking pink and white bicolor
• Midas Touch: As the name implies, bright gold blooms on 10-inch stems