Spider Lily

White flowers with long, narrow petals and tall, spidery stamens, and deep green, stap-like leaves
Spider lilies growing alongside Ginnie Spring in High Springs, FL. UF/IFAS.

The spider lily is a Florida native with attractive foliage and fragrant white blooms.

This clumping perennial has long, dark green leaves that grow directly from an underground bulb and reach a height of two to three feet. In summer and fall, the spider lily produces many gorgeous white flowers that are fragrant, long-lasting, and delicate.

It works well as a fast-growing ground cover, or can also be used in borders or as a specimen plant. Plant your spider lily in full sun or part shade in well-drained soil. This plant is very tolerant of drought, wet conditions, and even salt spray but it can’t take cold temperatures, so it’s ideal for the coastal South Florida landscape.

Although they are both members of the Amaryllidaceae family, the spider lily (Hymenocallis latifolia), which is always white, shouldn’t be confused with Lycoris radiata, commonly known as the red spider lily.

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