Family: Amaryllidaceae
Common name: River lily, River crinum, River swamplily, Cape coast lily, Sabie crinum, Pyjama lily
River lily or River swamp lily is a beautiful flowering plant loved for its large white, trumpet-shaped flowers that appear in clusters. They are native to the tropical and subtropical regions of Africa, but can be grown in other countries with warm, moist weather.
Plant Characteristics
River swamplilies grow from large, bulbous tubers that are thick and fleshy, to store water and nutrients for the plant to survive during drought-like weather conditions.
Roots are shallow but extensive, so that they don’t get choked in swamp-like conditions, where these lilies are sometimes seen, giving them the name, River swamplily.
These plants do not have the typical stem of normal plants, but like most lilies, the stem is short and stout, barely visible above the ground. Leaves of the River swamplily are long, narrow, and strap-like, growing in a rosette shape from the ground.
Leaf blades are green and glossy with a thick, waxy coating, about 60-90 cm long and 4-6 cm wide. These leaves can tolerate prolonged exposure to water since the River swamplily plants can grow near stagnant water and thick, clayey soil.
The leaves are not long enough to arch and touch the ground, but when they are long, the leaves tend to droop towards the earth.
River swamplilies are loved for their strikingly beautiful and showy flowers, that emerge from the center of the plant on tall, leafless, smooth stalks that stand high above the foliage. These flower stalks help the plant grow to a height of 1 to 1.5 meters.
The flowers are trumpet-shaped with six distinct petals that are white with a pink shading down the middle of the petal. Stames and style are very prominent, white with black tips, again a typical feature of Lily plants.
River swamplily flowers are produced in clusters of 3-10, each flower about 12-15 cm in diameter. The white color and large size make them favorites among nocturnal pollinators like moths.
Blooming period is during summer, and lasts several weeks with multiple flowering cycles. Though fruiting is not very regular, River swamplily plants can produce small, capsule-like fruits that might or might not contain seeds.
Gardening Tips
River Swamplily plants thrive in full sunlight, where they get 4-6 hours of direct sunlight every day. They can be grown in home gardens on the ground, in pots, or near water bodies like ponds. Their beautiful, long leaves keep the plant beautiful even when they are not in bloom.
Though these plants are drought-tolerant, it is better to water them regularly, especially if they are grown in pots. Fertilize with vermicompost, animal manure, and some well-balanced fertilizers like NPK once in 2-3 weeks to help the plant grow well.
River swamplily plants grow in pretty rosettes and do not need any pruning. Any dead or damaged leaves can be trimmed to improve the aesthetic appeal of the plant, in addition to removing spent flower stalks.
Uses of River Swamplily
These plants are mostly grown as ornamentals in home gardens and landscaped areas, but they have many medicinal uses in traditional herbal medicine throughout Africa.
Different parts of the plant, including the root bulbs, are used in the treatment of inflammation, back pain, fever, digestive ailments, tuberbulosis, acne, boils, and diarrhea. Do not self-medicate with any part of the plant since they might contain toxicity.
River swamplilies make good ground cover since new plants produced from the tubers can help them grow quickly, covering large areas and protecting the topsoil from erosion. Since these plants are very sturdy, they can grow in a variety of growing conditions like drought, poor soil, and even waterlogging.
Propagation
Propagation is through seeds and root division with tubers.
Since seeds are not very commonly produced in houseplants, vegetative propagation using tubers is more reliable.
When the parent plant is large enough, it can be carefully removed from the soil with the tubers intact. Small pieces of tubers can be separated carefully from the root mass and replanted to produce new plants.
Photographed at: Forest area, Kabini
