Overall plant
Common Name: rain lily
Type: Bulb
Family: Amaryllidaceae
Native Range: United States
Zone: 7 to 10
Height: 0.50 to 1.00 feet
Spread: 1.00 to 2.00 feet
Bloom Time: January to April
Bloom Description: White to pink
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Water: Medium to wet
Maintenance: Medium
Suggested Use: Naturalize, Rain Garden
Tolerate: Wet Soil
Culture
Best grown in evenly moist to wet, peaty or sandy, well-draining soils in full sun. Does not tolerate being shaded by other vegetation. Hardy in Zones 7b(5-10°F)-10. Does best with a winter mulch in the colder end of its hardiness range.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Zephyranthes treatiae, commonly called Treat's zephyr lily or pineland zephyr lily, is a bulbous, herbaceous perennial native to peaty or sandy pine barrens, seeps, swamp margins, mowed roadsides, pastures, and other open, moist, inland areas in central and northern peninsular Florida and southern Gorgia. The linear, grass-like foliage can reach around 8-10" long. The 2-3" long flowers are white to tinged pink, upright, funnel-shaped and held on a 4-12" long scape. The main bloom period occurs from mid-winter to mid-spring. This plant will naturalize slowly and form small colonies.
Genus name comes from the Greek words zephyros meaning "the west wind" and anthos meaning "flower" because it is native of the Western hemisphere.
The specific epithet treatiae honors Mary Treat (1830-1923), an American naturalist who specialized in botany and entomology.
Problems
No known pest or disease problems. This plant is rare in portions of its native habitat and should only be purchased from reputable nurseries that do not sell plants collected from the wild.
Uses
Meadows, rain gardens, swales, border fronts, or other open areas with low vegetation. Suitable for use in containers. Will also naturalize in lawns, but be sure not to mow when the plants are in bloom.