• Photo of Hymenocallis occidentalis var. occidentalis (Hymenocallis occidentalis var. occidentaliss)

Plant Profile: Hymenocallis occidentalis var. occidentalis

Names

Hammock Spiderlily, Woodland Spiderlily

  • Photo of Hymenocallis occidentalis var. occidentalis (Hymenocallis occidentalis var. occidentaliss)

Phonetic Spelling:hy-men-oh-KAL-is ok-sih-den-TAY-liss ok-sih-den-TAY-liss

Genus:Hymenocallis

Species:occidentalis

Family:Amaryllidaceae

The Woodland Spiderlily is a resilient perennial bulb that thrives in mesic environments, such as slopes, swamps, damp fields, and floodplain forests. It stands out as the most robust member of its genus. Although its large, fragrant flowers are short-lived, blooming only for a single day, they typically appear from July to August.

This plant can flourish in average to moderately wet garden soil, but it is crucial to keep the soil consistently moist. It is ideally suited for naturalization in areas with high moisture, such as water gardens, ponds, or boggy locations.

This species is classified as a Special Concern in North Carolina and has historical significance.

For further details on Hymenocallis occidentalis, additional information is available.

Hymenocallis occidentalis var. occidentalis Feature Summary

Hymenocallis occidentalis var. occidentalis Image Gallery

Tags

#bulb
#showy flowers
#water garden
#white flowers
#riparian
#summer flowers
#clumping
#food source summer
#pond edge
#Coastal OBL
#food source herbage
#food source nectar
#food source pollen
#Piedmont Mountains OBL
#wet soils tolerant
#partial shade tolerant
#audubon

Similar Plants

Hymenocallis occidentalis var. occidentalis Feature Summary

Attributes
SE and central. U.S.A.
AL , AR , GA , IL , IN , KY , LA , MO , MS , NC , OK , SC , TN , TX
Attracts pollinators
Perennial
Fruit
The fruit is a leathery green capsule with 1-3 green, fleshy seeds from July to September.
Flowers
Fragrant white spider-like flowers up to 7 inches across bloom in clusters from July to August. The center daffodil-like cup has 6 narrow rays that arch outward from it.
Fragrant
Showy
Long Bloom Season
6 petals/rays
3-6 inches
Leaves
5-12 shiny pale green, often glaucous, strap-shaped leaves up to 2 ft long in a basal clump. Arise directly from the bulb. Margins are entire, base tapering, apex subacute to acute. Leaves emerge late winter and may or may not be present when flowering occurs
Oblanceolate
> 6 inches
Glossy
Fleshy
Stem
18-22 inch naked 2-edged flowering stem
Whole Plant Traits
Perennial
Native Plant
Bulb
Erect
Clumping
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)
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasionally Wet
Occasional Flooding
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Landscape
Butterfly Garden
Rain Garden
Water Garden
Woodland
Naturalized Area
Riparian
Pond
Butterflies
Songbirds
Moths

Hymenocallis occidentalis var. occidentalis Attributes

Hymenocallis occidentalis var. occidentalis: Country Or Region Of Origin

SE and central. U.S.A.

Hymenocallis occidentalis var. occidentalis: Distribution

AL , AR , GA , IL , IN , KY , LA , MO , MS , NC , OK , SC , TN , TX

Hymenocallis occidentalis var. occidentalis: Wildlife Value

Attracts pollinators

Hymenocallis occidentalis var. occidentalis: Life Cycle

Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody

Hymenocallis occidentalis var. occidentalis: Recommended Propagation Strategy

Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting

Hymenocallis occidentalis var. occidentalis Fruit

Hymenocallis occidentalis var. occidentalis: Fruit Description

The fruit is a leathery green capsule with 1-3 green, fleshy seeds from July to September.

Hymenocallis occidentalis var. occidentalis: Fruit Type

Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua

Hymenocallis occidentalis var. occidentalis: Fruit Color

grass
Green

Hymenocallis occidentalis var. occidentalis: Display/Harvest Time

Fall
Spring
Summer
Winter

Hymenocallis occidentalis var. occidentalis Flowers

Hymenocallis occidentalis var. occidentalis: Flower Description

Fragrant white spider-like flowers up to 7 inches across bloom in clusters from July to August. The center daffodil-like cup has 6 narrow rays that arch outward from it.

Hymenocallis occidentalis var. occidentalis: Flower Color

filter_vintage
White

Hymenocallis occidentalis var. occidentalis: Flower Inflorescence

Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel

Hymenocallis occidentalis var. occidentalis: Flower Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy

Hymenocallis occidentalis var. occidentalis: Flower Bloom Time

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Hymenocallis occidentalis var. occidentalis: 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

Hymenocallis occidentalis var. occidentalis: Flower Shape

Bell
Cross
Crown
Cup
Dome
Funnel
Irregular
Lipped
Radial
Saucer
Star
Trumpet
Tubular
Urn
Wheel

Hymenocallis occidentalis var. occidentalis: Flower Size

1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches

Hymenocallis occidentalis var. occidentalis Leaves

Hymenocallis occidentalis var. occidentalis: Leaf Description

5-12 shiny pale green, often glaucous, strap-shaped leaves up to 2 ft long in a basal clump. Arise directly from the bulb. Margins are entire, base tapering, apex subacute to acute. Leaves emerge late winter and may or may not be present when flowering occurs

Hymenocallis occidentalis var. occidentalis: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Hymenocallis occidentalis var. occidentalis: Leaf Color

spa
Green

Hymenocallis occidentalis var. occidentalis: Leaf Type

Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple

Hymenocallis occidentalis var. occidentalis: Leaf Shape

Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate

Hymenocallis occidentalis var. occidentalis: Leaf Margin

Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate

Hymenocallis occidentalis var. occidentalis: Hairs Present

No
Yes

Hymenocallis occidentalis var. occidentalis: Leaf Length

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches

Hymenocallis occidentalis var. occidentalis: Leaf Feel

Fleshy
Glossy
Leathery
Papery
Prickly
Rough
Rubbery
Slippery
Smooth
Soft
Velvety
Waxy

Hymenocallis occidentalis var. occidentalis Stem

Hymenocallis occidentalis var. occidentalis: Stem Description

18-22 inch naked 2-edged flowering stem

Hymenocallis occidentalis var. occidentalis: Stem Color

grass
Green

Hymenocallis occidentalis var. occidentalis: Stem Is Aromatic

No
Yes

Hymenocallis occidentalis var. occidentalis: Stem Cross Section

Angular
Oval
Round
Square

Hymenocallis occidentalis var. occidentalis Whole Plant Traits

Hymenocallis occidentalis var. occidentalis: 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

Hymenocallis occidentalis var. occidentalis: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Hymenocallis occidentalis var. occidentalis: 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

Hymenocallis occidentalis var. occidentalis: Maintenance

Low
Medium
High

Hymenocallis occidentalis var. occidentalis: Texture

Fine
Medium
Coarse

Hymenocallis occidentalis var. occidentalis Cultural Conditions

Hymenocallis occidentalis var. occidentalis: 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)

Hymenocallis occidentalis var. occidentalis: Soil pH

Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)

Hymenocallis occidentalis var. occidentalis: Soil Drainage

Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry

Hymenocallis occidentalis var. occidentalis: NC Region

Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont

Hymenocallis occidentalis var. occidentalis: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

thermostat
5a
thermostat
5b
thermostat
6a
thermostat
6b
thermostat
7a
thermostat
7b
thermostat
8a
thermostat
8b

Hymenocallis occidentalis var. occidentalis: Soil Texture

Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky

Hymenocallis occidentalis var. occidentalis Landscape

Hymenocallis occidentalis var. occidentalis: 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

Hymenocallis occidentalis var. occidentalis: Resistance To Challenges

Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind

Hymenocallis occidentalis var. occidentalis: 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

Hymenocallis occidentalis var. occidentalis: Attracts

Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees