Autumn Crocus ( Zephyranthes candida)

**This beautiful bulb has several popular names like rain lily, fairy lily and Zephyr lily, all talking about its magic. It's not a real magic, but it always surprises! Zephyranthes has an abundancy of blooms after every rain and the flowers are growing so quickly, they seem to appear from nowhere, like in magic made with a rainy spell! [1] And since the Zephyr is the western wind which brings the rain, they called the plant "Zephyranthes" - the plant that needs the Zephyr to blow and bring the rain so she can bloom.** ![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/02/%28Zephyranthes_candida%29_White_Ginger_Lily_01.jpg) **This delicate plant with thin leaves, looking more like a herbaceous plant than a bulb, is attractive not only for the bees, but also for people. Its flowers are white, pink, yellow or other colors resulted from hybridizing. Most of them have a delicate fragrance. If you didn't know they were Zephyranthes, you could easily mistake them with the crocuses because of the flower's shape which face upward.Zephyranthes genus is from the Amaryllidaceae family and has about 70 species, but only a few can be grown indoors. It is native to Southeastern U.S., and Central and South America.** ![](https://i.pinimg.com/736x/12/cb/15/12cb15fa20b89a4e5f6a27423fccef57--rain-flower-gardening.jpg) **Zephyranthes are hardy bulbs that range from 5 cm to 30 cm in height; this makes them great for using in rock gardens. They have grass like foliage and bloom from spring to autumn (species dependent).When in bloom, plants carry pink, red, white, or yellow funnel shaped flowers. Some of the commonly grown garden varieties of Zephyranthes include Zephyr lily, Atamasco lily, Rain lily, and Flowers of the Western wind.** ![](https://i.pinimg.com/736x/fc/f2/81/fcf281c60cb7a781ed83a7af4a5b4440--summer-garden-perennial.jpg)

How to Grow Rain Lily and other Zephyranthes.

**It is best to grow Zephyr lily and other Zephyranthes plant species from bulbs as they will not flower for about three or four years if grown from seed. The bulbs should be planted at a depth of 8 cm, and a spacing of 10 to 15 cm apart following the last frost of spring. If sowing Rain lily seeds then do so in either spring or autumn and lightly cover the seed once sown. Plants are able to grow in partially shaded or sunny parts of the garden that have good drainage. Ideally the soil should be moist, rich and have a pH of 6 to 7.** ![](https://i.pinimg.com/736x/ed/24/57/ed245727fed70fa9e55a4c7201c09b7b.jpg) If you want to start off indoors then it should take them about 15 weeks to germinate at a temperature of 15 to 20 degrees. Once established transplant into the garden in either autumn or spring. is quite easy to look after Zephyranthes species such as Rain and Zephyr lilies; they like a moist soil so water regularly in dry periods; give them a feed in the spring, and supply a mulch in the autumn to help protect the bulbs from harsh winters. ![](https://lambley.com.au/sites/default/files/styles/full_image/public/garden_notes/crocus_speciosus.jpg) **Germination time: four months. Temperature: 65 to 75°F (18–24°C). Towards the end of winter. Transplant outdoors in autumn in warmer areas or following the last frost in cooler areas. Space at 3 to 4 inches (7–10 cm). Full sunlight or partial shade. Good drainage. Slightly acidic to neutral soil pH 6 to 7. Light, rich soil. Moist soil. Regular watering during dry periods. Complete spring fertilizer. Store bulbs indoors in sand for the winter in cooler areas. Propagate: from offsets.** ![](http://andreasensgreen.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Zephyranthes-candida-1-400x400.png)