Crinum americanum
southern swamp crinum
Attracts PollinatorsAttracts ButterfliesDeer ResistantFragrant (strong)Container Friendly
Native to North America
Overview
Crinum americanum is an aquatic bulbous perennial of the southeastern United States, growing in standing water and saturated muck at the margins of swamps, marshes, and slow streams. From a large bulb 3-4 inches (8-10 cm) wide it sends up strap-shaped, arching leaves 2-4 feet (60-120 cm) long and 1-3 inches (2.5-8 cm) wide. In summer and fall a leafless stalk 1-2 feet (30-60 cm) tall carries an umbel of two to six fragrant white flowers, each with six narrow, recurved tepals 3-4 inches (8-10 cm) long and rose-tinged stamens, opening in the manner of a spider lily. The scent is strongest at night. After flowering, large rounded seeds develop that can float and root in mud nearby. C. americanum spreads by offset bulbs into dense colonies in permanently wet ground. It needs consistently moist to flooded soil and declines in dry borders, and the bulbs and leaves contain alkaloids that are toxic if eaten.
Native Range
Native to the southeastern United States, along the Coastal Plain from South Carolina and Georgia through Florida and west to Texas. It grows in freshwater swamps, marshes, wet ditches, and the muddy margins of ponds and slow streams.Suggested Uses
Grown at the margins of ponds and water gardens, in bog and rain gardens, and in containers set in shallow water. It naturalizes in warm-climate wetlands and ditches. In cooler regions it is kept as a potted aquatic moved under cover for winter.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height2' - 4'
Width/Spread2' - 3'
Bloom Information
Flowering occurs from late spring through fall, mainly May to October, peaking in summer, with flushes often following heavy rain. Each scape opens two to six white, narrow-tepaled flowers that release a strong fragrance at night. Established clumps bloom repeatedly across the warm season.
Detailed Descriptions
Flower Description
white with rose-tinged stamensFoliage Description
greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 6-12 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
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Grow in full sun to part shade in mucky, humus-rich soil that stays wet to flooded; it grows at pond edges, in bog gardens, and in containers standing in water. The soil is kept saturated, as the plant declines in ground that dries out. In zones 8 and warmer it remains in place year-round, while a hard freeze cuts the foliage back, with the bulb resprouting in spring. No fertilizer is needed in rich wetland mud, though a slow-release feed supports bloom in pots. Propagate by separating offset bulbs or by sowing the fleshy seeds in wet mud. In colder regions the bulbs are grown in submerged pots that can be moved to a frost-free spot for winter.Pruning
Pruning is limited to removing spent flower scapes and yellowed or frost-damaged leaves at the base. Tattered foliage is cut away in late winter before new growth begins. Seed heads are removed if self-sowing into nearby mud is not wanted.Container Growing
✓ Suitable for container growing
Minimum container size: 5 gallons