Common name: Cape lily
Botanical name: Crinum powellii Family: Amaryllidaceae (Nargis family)
In the 19th century, English plant breeders crossed two species of South
African crinum lilies - Crinum bulbispermum and C. moorei - to create the
hybrid Crinum X powellii, or Cape lily. The Cape lily has gone on to become
one of the most popular perennials in the southern United States, passed along
though generations of gardeners. The Cape lily grows in a mound of arching
straplike leaves 3-4 ft long which arise from a large, long-necked
bulb. The bulb can be as much as 7 in in diameter. The fragrant funnel
shaped flowers grow to 4in long and are borne on leafless stalks in
succession from late summer until autumn. Many garden crinums, the "milk and
wine lilies", have striped flowers, but Cape lily has flowers that are either
all white or all pink. Most cultivars are some shade of pink. 'Cecil
Houdyshel', which produces clusters of 6-10 deep rose-pink flowers throughout
the summer, is an old time southern favorite. 'Album' has pure white flowers.
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ntroduced