Rain lilies, also known as zephyranthes, are real treasures
of the garden, because they multiply but are not invasive, require little to no
care, and furthermore, are very smart.
Oh, rain lilies will often bloom after a good sprinkler watering, but
when it rains, they are ready and out they pop in the summer garden, another
wonderful effect of rain. Garden zephyranthes
are either species that also appear in the wild but can be found commercially or
hybrids of those same species.
There are several varieties of zephyranthes, and also a related
group called habranthus. Don’t be
impressed by my flinging around the word ‘habranthus.’ One time we were at a wonderful place called
The Antique Rose Emporium in Independence, Texas, and they had some rain lilies
for sale as well as something called ‘habranthus’ that looked very much the
same, foliage-wise, so of course I had to try them. And I’m so glad I did.
Now we have those wonderful plants, habranthus Russell
Manning, and zephranthes Labuffarosa, as well as zephranthes Prairie Sunset
(peachy-apricot colored), zephyranthes rosea grandiflora (big and pink), some small
yellow species, some small white species, and some gold ones with copper color
on the outside of the petals; the latter ones I begged a few of from a neighbor
of our daughter’s.
Now these yellow and copper ones, and also the
peachy-apricot ones, are popping up in other areas of the garden, and they are
so welcome everywhere. We will
transplant the ones which appear in the lawn to a safer haven and I plan to
collect some seeds and drop them in other areas so we can see them from
the dining room. When we find something
we love, and which is reliable as well, such as zephyranthes and periwinkles, I
just seem to want them everywhere. And
what, I ask, is wrong with that?
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