Spider Lilies

Spider lily is the common name for a number of different plant species within the family Amaryllidaceae  which belong to the following genera:

- Crinum, a genus of about 180 species of perennial plants in the family Amaryllidaceae found along the sides of streams and lakes in tropical and subtropical areas worldwide, including South Africa
- Hymenocallis, a genus of plants in the family Amaryllidaceae
- Lycoris, a genus of 13–20 species of flowering plants in the family Amaryllidaceae, formerly often treated in the family Liliaceae
- Nerine, genus of about 20–30 species of South African plants in the family Amaryllidaceae
-Wikipedia

The Spider Lily has spider-like blossoms. I guess that’s where the flower gets its name. In Singapore, the Hymenocallis is most commonly seen. To be fair, I hadn’t realize that there are so many varieties of Spider Lilies. I could have seen the other varieties and not know that they are lilies. Anyway, now that I know about it, I will share them here if I should come across them in future.

Spider Lilies are perennial bulb plants. They are easy to grow, hardy and they bloom throughout the year. They grow best in well-drained soil with moderate moisture during the growing season. They can be grown in full sun or part shade. Of course, part shade is more ideal.

Since they are hardy plants, they don’t need a lot of care. If you plant them in beds like in the pictures, you might like to give them a trim now and then – to cut off the dead, or dying leaves, so that they will look neat. Otherwise, they are okay to be left alone.

The following lily looks like it is of the Crinum genus. Or maybe they are just a different variety of the Hymenocallis. I am not sure. What do you think? Have a look at the next two pictures and see if the lilies are from the same family.

I managed to get a picture of the bulbs.

A little trivia on the Spider Lily. The one big advantage they have over other bulbs is that they are toxic, making them pest resistant. If you are out walking your dog, make sure that your dog don’t munch on them.