Family: Amaryllidaceae
Common name: Spider lily
Spider lilies have the most unique looking flowers; a thin membrane cup in the middle surrounded by long white petals, also with long filaments and anther. These lilies grow well in all kinds of growing conditions, and can cover an large area with their flat strappy leaves.
Spider lily plants bloom almost throughout the year with tall stalks having bunches of beautiful white flowers standing tall above the level of broad, strappy leaves.
Leaves are dark green, about 60-80 cms long and 10-15 cms wide with a prominent mid-vein. Young leaves stay upright, whereas older leaves bend and fall over the edges of pots making these plants look very beautiful indeed.
Blooming needs good direct sunlight, though the plant can look good even without the blooms. The inflorescence usually consists of 8-10 flowers on long stalk, and range in color from yellow, green and white. There are over 60 species of these bulbous lilies.
The plants require very minimal care making it an ideal choice for amateur gardeners. Most lily plants can be ignored after they settle into the new soil. The plants grow to a height of about 2 feet. Spent flowers are not a good sight to see. So it’s better to cut the stalk once it has stopped blooming. The bulbs and roots have medicinal uses in some parts of the world.
Propagation is from root bulbs.
