Although many of the common names include "lily", Zephyranthes is actually a genus of temperate and tropical plants in the Amaryllis family. They are easy to grow and widely cultivated as ornamentals.
There are over 70 recognized species as well as numerous hybrids and cultivars. Common names for species in this genus include fairy lily, rain flower, zephyr lily, magic lily, Atamasco lily, and rain lily. Species are identified by their characteristics such as bulb size, bulb tunic color, and leaf morphology.
Zephyranthes have erect flower stalks which support a flower. Flower color in the species ranges from white to yellow (various tints of this color from lemon to sulfur) and pink. The flowers of some species have a sweet, pleasant fragrance. Some species bloom at night, and are attractive to nocturnal insects.
Flowers typically last only for a day or two; but new flowers may appear in a succession of blooms, especially during humid or rainy weather. Thus one of the common names, rain lilies. Periods of synchronous bloom, which breeders have dubbed "blitzes", are part of their ornamental value.
Some articles report that many parts of the plant including the leaves and bulbs are considered to be toxic. Others report that Zephyranthes are used in traditional medicine for simple problems from head ache, cough, cold, and boils to very complicated diseases such as breast cancer, tuberculosis, rheumatism, and tumors.
Perhaps it’s a case of medicine used wrongly can become poison, and poison used correctly can be medicinal. In any case, knowing that they could be poisonous, it is better not to try using them without expert or professional prescription.
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