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Crinum × amabile

giant spider lily

Amaryllidaceae

Garden origin; parent species from tropical Asia

Attracts Pollinators Attracts Butterflies Deer Resistant Drought Tolerant Fragrant (strong)Container Friendly

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

WaterMedium · drought-tolerant

HardinessZones 9–11

Overview

Crinum x amabile is a large bulbous perennial reaching 4–6 feet (1.2–1.8 m) tall in bloom, a hybrid grown for its tall heads of fragrant trumpet flowers. It forms a massive bulb, sometimes 6 inches (15 cm) or more across, with a long neck, from which arch glossy green strap-shaped leaves 2–4 feet (60–120 cm) long and 3–4 inches (7.5–10 cm) wide. A stout flower stalk carries an umbel of 15–30 funnel-shaped flowers, each 4–6 inches (10–15 cm) long, with narrow recurved segments that are deep wine-red on the outside and white flushed pink with a red central stripe inside. The flowers are strongly fragrant, especially in the evening. Bloom comes in flushes through the warm season, mainly summer. The plant needs heat, moisture, and a frost-free climate, and the evergreen foliage is killed by frost. All parts, especially the bulb, contain lycorine and related alkaloids that are toxic to people and pets if eaten. The clumps grow heavy and hard to move once established.

Native Range

Crinum x amabile is a hybrid of garden origin, derived from Crinum spp. species native to tropical Asia, including Crinum asiaticum and Crinum zeylanicum. It has no wild range and is grown throughout the tropics and warm subtropics. It is propagated mainly by offsets from the bulb.

Suggested Uses

Grown as a bold specimen and in mass plantings in tropical and subtropical gardens, spaced 3–4 feet (0.9–1.2 m) apart. It is used at pond edges, along drives, and in large containers for its fragrant summer flowers. The evergreen clumps give year-round structure in frost-free beds.

How to Identify

A very large, long-necked bulb and broad, arching strap leaves identify Crinum x amabile. The tall stalk bears an umbel of long trumpet flowers, deep wine-red outside and white striped red inside, that are fragrant at night. The size of the bulb and the two-tone, recurved flower segments separate it from smaller crinums and from amaryllis.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height4' - 6'

Width/Spread3' - 4'

Reaches mature size in approximately 3 years

Colors

Flower Colors

red

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~12 weeks

Summer Fall

Flowering comes in flushes through the warm season, mostly summer, with one or more stalks rising from an established clump. Each umbel opens over a week or two, the flowers most fragrant in the evening. Moths and other night insects visit the scented flowers. Bloom is sparse on young plants and in cool or shaded sites.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

wine-red and white with red stripe

Foliage Description

green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

Requires 5-10 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range6.0 - 7.5(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

loam clay sand

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Medium

Frost Tolerance

tender

Time to Maturity

2-3 years

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Crinum x amabile grows in full sun to part shade in deep, fertile, moist, well-drained soil at pH 6.0–7.5. The plant takes ample water and feeding through the growing season and tolerates wet ground better than most bulbs, though the bulb rots in cold, soggy soil. Bulbs are planted with the neck above the surface and left undisturbed, since clumps flower more freely when crowded. The plant is hardy in USDA zones 9–11; in colder areas it is grown in large containers and kept frost-free over winter. Foliage dies back only with cold or drought and otherwise stays evergreen. Established clumps are heavy and slow to recover after being moved.

Pruning

Removing the spent flower stalk after bloom, cutting it near the base, prevents seed formation and tidies the clump. Old or frost-damaged leaves are trimmed away at the base. No other pruning is needed, and the foliage is left to feed the bulb.

Pruning Schedule

fall