PlantFiles: Amazon Lily
Eucharis grandiflora

I bought two or three bulbs more than ten years ago at a big-box home improvement store and planted them in a shady spot in my garden. The leaves are really pretty attractive dark green and glossy, and I've been sort of surprised that they have never failed to return each spring, even though we've had temps down in the lower twenties for the past two years. I was out in the garden today (November 30) and noticed one of them was blooming! It's been at least six or seven years since that has happened. I haven't seen the bulbs offered in the stores in a long time, but I would buy more if I did, because even if it doesn't bloom, it makes a nice substitute for hosta, which doesn't do well here.

We grow this in Townsville, Australia. We have a tropical garden on our quarter acre. The lily is planted under our mango trees, in a shaded area with some sun. The soil is good.
This lily is robust and unaffected in the extreme wet weather of the tropical Wet.
It is stunningly beautiful, but not common here. It has taken me some time to find out its correct name.

I would like to grow this plant, but I see that all the members who have it are in Florida or Texas. Would it work for Santa Monica California? A dry Mediterranean climate, with no frost (I am a mile from the beach). Zone 8. Interior or exterior?

TIA for any comments.

Persephone

My Amazon Lily belonged to my Grandmother in the1950. It was passed on to my Mother in the 60;s. I took the plant when my Mother died. I have had it since 1989, and have split the plant several times. I have three plants of my own now, and given away over five of them. I have one blooming now that has 8 flowers, the most I have ever had.

I purchased my first Eucharis last spring. Planted it in mostly sand in the ground with no amendments or fertilization in full shade. The only water it got was 9b Florida rainfall. Sent out many leaves after a few weeks and went on to bloom for me in December! I decided this was too good of a thing to have tucked so far away in the yard, so I dug it up and found 3 nearly full sized offsets! I potted it in rich soil and brought it into full sun on the patio. Only the older leaves were lost to the tortures of the sun and the foliage is now fuller and more robust than before. After only being in its new pot for a month, and having only bloomed 5 months ago, the mama is sending up more flowers! Wonderful fragrance! Doesn't seem to be picky about soil light or water and it survived a few light frosts!

I have two, both in large (TC2) pots. They only come in if hard frost (low 20s) expected. Bloom every year. Get some sun , mid morning, otherwise bright to deep shade. Had problems with slugs one year. Water sparingly in winter when soil dry on top. Lovely blossom, worth the patience. Tom

I inherited this plant from my mother. She called it a "Verna lily" as a lady named Verna gave it to her. It's been around a long time. It blooms at least once each year, sometimes more often. I take it inside when the temp drops below 50, but sometimes I forget, and it hasn't frozen yet (I live in Houston). It is in full shade, on a protected porch with a southern exposure. When it got too big for the pot it was in, I moved it to another pot. All was well, but the little bit I transplanted (maybe 10 years ago) has yet to bloom. I'm waiting!
It is in the ground at our Mercer Arboretum.

I was visiting my cousin in Jamaica and she had this plant in a wall all around her pool and all in bloom. She gave me a small clump and I brought them back (I guess illegally) but they were minus the leaves (just three bulbs). I planted them in a pot and watered and am hoping they will grow. Nothing so far and it has been about a month. I am in Baltimore..zone 6 or 7. so they would have to stay inside in winter. I am praying something happens because they are beautiful.

My grandmother planted an Amazon Lily bulb sometime in the 50's - and the descendants of this plant have been 'in the family' ever since. I've had some of the best luck, with mine having bloomed five times (with a total of nine flower stalks) in the last five months. My mother gets hers to bloom about once or twice a year in partial shade, my father's is in pretty full shade, and I've never seen it bloom.

Contrary to popular belief, mine is in FULL SUN. We're talking south facing window in summer (if you're thinking of moving yours to try this, introduce it gradually to the sun, or you'll burn its leaves horribly). It gets fertilized about once a month, and is kept damp but not soggy (it's right beside my shower). I never, ever, ever re-pot it, unless it's so rootbound that it cracks the container (I've had that happen once, divided the bulbs into three parts for repotting). I don't know if this is a myth or not, but if a leaf dies, don't cut it. Wait until it's so withered that the bulb releases it and it pulls out easily - same goes for the flower stalks.

I highly recommend this plant. Around here, it's not common at all, so it's a conversation peice, as well as being beautiful.

I got a bulb by accident - a neighbour threw a broken pot on the trash can, and the plant still had some leaves, but I didn't know what it was. I got what was left of it and saw the bulb. I hadn't any room for it, so I stored it for a couple of months. Then I got a small pot and planted it. It grew beautifully under half shade and lots of water.

I have owned this plant since 1977, and have had it bloom only twice - once in late 1982 or early 1983, and once this year! It is absolutely beautiful and I am looking for more information regarding this plant and how to make it bloom more often.

Anyone living in the Chicago area interested in seeing this plant in bloom and experiencing its frangrance should go to Navy Pier, second floor by the east Festival Hall. They have several planters full of them in bloom as of 1-20-2003.

A neighbor abandoned this plant and I took it in without any info, not even what it was. It has bloomed indoors in winter and twice this summer outdoors. It is not deciduous where I live - 9b-10a border. It likes lots of water - but it does get hot down here!!