Rain Lily is a perennial bulb that grow luxuriously in the flower garden. They belong to the family of Amaryllidaceae and genus Zephyranthes.
Rain lilies are scientifically called as Habranthus robustus syn. Zephyranthes robusta. Zephyranthes generally possess hardy bulbs that can grow up to 30 cm height. These plants are best suitable for a rock garden.
These plants have different species that bloom at different seasons adding year round colors to your flower garden. Besides their short-lived flowers, these bulbs also produce slender, green leaves.
When given the right conditions to grow, Rain lilies are one of the easiest to care for. Apart from Rain Lily these plants are also known as “zephyr lilies” and “fairy lilies.”
The flowers are crocus like so a newbie gardener might confuse the Rain Lily flowers with crocus flowers when they see them blooming in mid summer.
As the name suggests, Rain Lily bulbs specially bloom abundantly after a heavy rain. They have bright green foliage that spreads like grasses in the garden. Click To TweetAs the name suggests, Rain Lily bulbs especially bloom abundantly after heavy rain. They have bright green foliage that spreads like grasses in the garden.
The flowers are funnel shaped with various hues like pink, white, yellow and red. Rain lilies are native to South America and can be grown in USDA hardiness zone 7-11.
Rain Lily Varieties
Basically pink and white flowers bulbs of Rain Lilies are most common but there are other cultivars available that you can choose from in order to add more colors to your garden.
Abacus Apricot
A natural hybridized bulb of Rain Lily that possess Apricot or peach colored bulbs. This is also known as August grass and is native to the Bahamas.
Bangkok Peach
This is a beautiful variety of Rain Lily with Orange or peach colored flowers. They normally bloom in summer.
Beni Tama
The Japanese rain lily hybrid Zephyranthes ‘Beni Tama’, which means “red jewel”. But surprisingly it possesses bright pink flowers with yellow colores stamens.
Big Dude
Big Dude is a hybrid of Zephyranthes drummondii, that is nocturnal in nature. They have beautiful white flowers with a hint of pink color on the tips of the petals.
Rose Perfection
This variety of Rain Lily has multi-colored flowers. The flowers are of beautiful reddish orange color with white stripes in the middle of petals and yellow stamens.
Star of Bethlehem
This variety of Rain Lily has orange colored flowers resembling the color of a pumpkin. It has yellow stripes in the petals and in the center of the flowers.
Fedora
Just like the Big Dude variety this is also a selection of Zephyranthes drummondii. These have pure white flowers with no addition of other colors to them. They are nocturnal.
Lily Pies
Flowers in the Lily Pies have large, overlapping petals that start out white and turn dark pink as they reach the center of each flower. These are one of the cutest among all other varieties.
Midas Touch
This is a variety of Rain Lily that has bright yellow flowers.
Growing guide
Rain Lilies can be grown from bulbs as well from seed, but it is best if the Rain Lilies are grown from bulbs rather than seeds. Because if they are grown from seeds then flowers won’t come up to 3-4 years.
Here is a step by step guide on how to plant the bulbs of Rain Lily.
First place the bulb at 8cm deep i.e 3.25 inches, the spacing should be 10 to 15 cm apart.
Plant the bulbs during Spring or fall season in a well drained soil.
It is highly essential to water them regularly so as to keep them healthy. The soil temperature should be below 60 degrees so that the roots can develop properly.
If you are planning to grow these bulbs in a container then make sure to take a potting mix of well drained soil. Once the plants germinate, transfer the plants outdoors during autumn or spring.
Caring Guide
Adequate amounts of light, temperature, humidity, fertilizer and soil are essential for every plant to grow healthy and lush. So every gardener needs to know about the basic requirements of the plants grown in their garden.
Adequate amounts of light, temperature, humidity, fertilizer and soil are essential for every plant to grow healthy and lush. Click To TweetSoil
Rain Lilies grow best in well drained soil. They prefer slightly acidic to neutral soil that has a pH of 6-7. Despite these criteria they are versatile and can be grown in any drainage condition of soil.
Light
They require a proper amount of light so plant the bulbs where plenty of Sunlight falls on them. They can be exposed to partial shade during summer peak months.
Temperature
Rain Lilies prefer warm and humid environments. They require mulching during winters as they can’t tolerate temperatures below 28 degree F.
If it is grown indoors then the optimum temperature required by these plants is 65 to 75°F.
Fertilizer
These plants don’t require fertilizers. Isn’t this good news for a gardener? All you need to apply is some compost on the ground before they start blooming in spring.
Watering
Rain Lilies prefer moist soil, so vigorous watering is required for the plants to emerge. If left unwatered for a longer period foliage may show dieback symptoms.
Some tips to grow Rain Lily
Rain Lilies are poisonous so it is better to wear gloves while planting these plants in your garden.
Pair the plants with Amaryllis, Watsonia, Crocosmia, Kniphofia, and Scadoxus that are low water requirement plants.
When the leaves turn yellow it’s the time that you remove the foliage as the plants go into dormancy.
Conclusion
As you have come so far, hope you have enjoyed reading this article on Rain Lily. Rain Lilies are one of the delightful plants that can make your garden lively after a drought period.
You will definitely love the way these beautiful bulbs add elegance and color to your flower garden. So, this summer, try out planting these amazing bulbs and enjoy its beauty.
You may also like to read
23 Amazing Varieties of Winter Flowers to Add Color to Your Garden
