Monday, August 24, 2009

Rain lilies blooming in lahore

Rain lilies or zaphyr lilies are late summer bloomers specially after rainfall. they are available in many colors including pink, yellow and white. they self sow as well. they need to be pot bound to bloom. i am growing 4 bulbs in a 7 inches pot. botanical name of rain lily is zephyranthes lily. they are native to many other areas including india and pakistan.

strangely local gardeners or mali here call it nargis. although it is not nargis, nargis is botanically called narcissus and it normally treated as annual as compared to this zephyr lilies which are perennial here in lahore. note that these lilies like moist conditions and full sun to bloom. sadly, bulbs are not easily available here in lahore at modern seeds shops or even local nurseries. i got these bulbs as gift from a mali. i have got all the 3 above said colors and all are blooming except white one. note that these lilies need a dry period soon after rain spell. now you must be thinking that why not fool the plant with tap water thinking into rain....he he he.... try it... plants get to know you are trying fooling them :P
zephyranthes grandiflora pink rain lily

















an this is a bit smaller yellow one.
yellow rain lily zephyranthes citrina

4 comments:

Bangchik and Kakdah said...

Oh.., you have yellow lilies. So nice. ~bangchik

Joanne said...

What delightful lillies.

Autumn Belle said...

The yellow lily is the most difficult to get here. Rain lilies are so lovely when they bloom. Their flowers are a welcomed sight especially after a thunderstorm.

4la said...

i let them dry down in pots. water them a bit and up they come, with a flower. mine are pink, so i assume z candida or hybrid of z.c.
slugs or snails love them, so their pot is in a summer-dry location.


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