Crinum americanum var. americanum: Country Or Region Of Origin
SE USA
Plant Profile: Crinum americanum var. americanum
Names
Seven-sisters, String-lily, Swamp-lily
Phonetic Spelling:KRY-num a-mer-ih-KAY-num a-mer-ih-KAY-num
Genus:Crinum
Species:americanum
Family:Amaryllidaceae
The swamp-lily, a perennial plant, thrives in freshwater marshes, cypress swamps, and along the edges of lakes from North Carolina to Florida. This species is notable for its large, vibrant, and fragrant flowers, which bloom for an extended period, and it is classified as a species of concern in North Carolina due to its historical significance.
Swamp-lilies flourish in moist to wet, nutrient-rich soils that range from sandy to clayey, preferring conditions that offer full sun to partial shade. They are ideal for use in water gardens, bogs, or pond areas, and can also be cultivated in pots. However, it is important to note that they do not respond well to being transplanted.
For further details on Crinum americanum, additional resources are available.
Crinum americanum var. americanum Feature Summary
Crinum americanum var. americanum Image Gallery
Tags
#showy flowers
#water garden
#fragrant flowers
#swamps
#ponds
#long bloom time
#forests
#larval host plant
#food source summer
#food source fall
#Coastal OBL
#food source herbage
#food source nectar
#food source pollen
#Piedmont Mountains FAC
#bog gardens
#audubon
Similar Plants
Crinum americanum var. americanum Feature Summary
Attributes
AL , AR , FL , GA , LA , MS , NC , SC , TX
Attracts moths at night with increased fragrance.
Perennial
Bulb
Fruit
Fruit displays from August to November.
Summer
Fall
Flowers
Umbrels of 2-6 lily-like blooms are white or pink-tinged with extruded stamens and purple anthers. Flowers bloom from June to November.
Pink
White
Fragrant
Showy
Summer
Fall
6 petals/rays
Star
Radial
3-6 inches
Leaves
Strap-like green leaves
Deciduous
Simple
Entire
> 6 inches
1-3 inches
Stem
Whole Plant Traits
Perennial
Native Plant
Bulb
Deciduous
Erect
Clumping
Medium
Low
Medium
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Acid (<6.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Moist
Occasionally Wet
Occasional Flooding
12 inches-3 feet
Coastal
7a
7b
8b
8a
9a
9b
10a
10b
Clay
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Landscape
Butterfly Garden
Pollinator Garden
Water Garden
Mass Planting
Small groups
Riparian
Pond
Butterflies
Pollinators
Songbirds
Moths
Crinum americanum var. americanum Image Gallery
Crinum americanum var. americanum Attributes
Crinum americanum var. americanum: Distribution
AL , AR , FL , GA , LA , MS , NC , SC , TX
Crinum americanum var. americanum: Wildlife Value
Attracts moths at night with increased fragrance.
Crinum americanum var. americanum: Life Cycle
Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody
Crinum americanum var. americanum: Recommended Propagation Strategy
Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting
Crinum americanum var. americanum Fruit
Crinum americanum var. americanum: Fruit Description
Fruit displays from August to November.
Crinum americanum var. americanum: Display/Harvest Time
Fall
Spring
Summer
Winter
Crinum americanum var. americanum Flowers
Crinum americanum var. americanum: Flower Description
Umbrels of 2-6 lily-like blooms are white or pink-tinged with extruded stamens and purple anthers. Flowers bloom from June to November.
Crinum americanum var. americanum: Flower Color
Pink
White
Crinum americanum var. americanum: Flower Inflorescence
Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel
Crinum americanum var. americanum: Flower Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy
Crinum americanum var. americanum: Flower Bloom Time
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Crinum americanum var. americanum: Flower Petals
2-3 rays/petals
4-5 petals/rays
6 petals/rays
7 - 20 petals/rays
asymmetrical petals
Bracts
Colored Sepals
fused petals
more than 20 petals/rays
Tepals
Crinum americanum var. americanum: Flower Shape
Bell
Cross
Crown
Cup
Dome
Funnel
Irregular
Lipped
Radial
Saucer
Star
Trumpet
Tubular
Urn
Wheel
Crinum americanum var. americanum: Flower Size
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches
Crinum americanum var. americanum Leaves
Crinum americanum var. americanum: Leaf Description
Strap-like green leaves
Crinum americanum var. americanum: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Crinum americanum var. americanum: Leaf Type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple
Crinum americanum var. americanum: Leaf Margin
Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate
Crinum americanum var. americanum: Hairs Present
No
Yes
Crinum americanum var. americanum: Leaf Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Crinum americanum var. americanum: Leaf Width
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Crinum americanum var. americanum Stem
Crinum americanum var. americanum: Stem Description
Thick green flower stems
Crinum americanum var. americanum: Stem Color
Green
Crinum americanum var. americanum: Stem Is Aromatic
No
Yes
Crinum americanum var. americanum Whole Plant Traits
Crinum americanum var. americanum: Plant Type
Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower
Crinum americanum var. americanum: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Crinum americanum var. americanum: Habit/Form
Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping
Crinum americanum var. americanum: Growth Rate
Slow
Medium
Rapid
Crinum americanum var. americanum: Maintenance
Low
Medium
High
Crinum americanum var. americanum: Texture
Fine
Medium
Coarse
Crinum americanum var. americanum Cultural Conditions
Crinum americanum var. americanum: Light
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Crinum americanum var. americanum: Soil pH
Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Crinum americanum var. americanum: Soil Drainage
Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry
Crinum americanum var. americanum: Available Space To Plant
12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet
Crinum americanum var. americanum: NC Region
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
Crinum americanum var. americanum: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone
10a
10b
7a
7b
8a
8b
9a
9b
Crinum americanum var. americanum: Soil Texture
Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Crinum americanum var. americanum Landscape
Crinum americanum var. americanum: Landscape Theme
Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden
Crinum americanum var. americanum: Design Feature
Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree
Crinum americanum var. americanum: Landscape Location
Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland
Crinum americanum var. americanum: Attracts
Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees
