Rain lily or not?

Discussion in 'Plant ID' started by marlingardener, Aug 18, 2016.

  1. marlingardener

    marlingardener Happy

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    We've enjoyed a decent amount of rain over the past five days, and that makes the rain lilies pop up. I was discussing how our orange rain lilies had spread--they are now in the orchard area and also the barn lot--and was told that those are not rain lilies. Here is a photo of what we have:
    Rain Lilies.jpg


    As I said, they are cropping up everywhere and I think they are rain lilies. I can't find an image match by searching the 'net, but I hope someone here can help me!
     
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  3. toni

    toni Mistress of Garden Junque Staff Member Moderator Plants Contributor

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    When you do a search for Rain Lilies you will find info on
    Cooperia pedunculata aka Zephyranthes drummondii (they are synonyms, same plant) and they come in white, pink and yellow but not one with the deep orange like yours. Yours are a lot prettier than the typical ones. How long have you had them? If they are relatively new they could be a cultivar.
    That's the thing about common names, many different plants have same common name depending on where you live or grew up.
     
  4. marlingardener

    marlingardener Happy

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    Toni, they have been appearing in late summer/fall ever since we moved here--about 10 years. We didn't plant them, and they have been spreading. I'll do a search on the botanical names you suggested and perhaps can come up with something.
    Want some? I can mark where a batch are and dig after the bloom goes away.
     
  5. Islandlife

    Islandlife Young Pine

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    They're lovely. Wish we had them here. All we get when it rains here is MUD :(
     



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  6. marlingardener

    marlingardener Happy

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    Mystery solved! They are truly rain lilies, called Copper Lilies (Habranthus tubispathus var. texensis). It seems they grow in zones 7 through 10, and are uncommon, but not rare.
    I noticed the white rain lilies are up in the barn lot and orchard, too. Give us a little rain and we get downright floriferous!
     
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  7. toni

    toni Mistress of Garden Junque Staff Member Moderator Plants Contributor

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    Well good news. I figured they would be called rain lilies but not the ones most everyone is familiar with....and they are prettier than the more common ones.
    And you bet I would love to have some, anything with texensis in it's name sounds great. Unless it is related to poison ivy that is.
    Sad to say the Clematis you sent me a couple of years ago disappeared, I think that was around the time I was recovering from surgery and things from that time period were neglected.
     
  8. Cheryl H

    Cheryl H New Seed

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    Hi Marlin Gardener. I'm new to the forum and just saw the picture of your orangish rain lilies. Very pretty. I love rain lilies but trying to collect more of the orange colored ones. Would you be interested in doing a swap of them for other plants? If so I could tell you what I have. And because you don't know me, I would send mine to you first. I live in Florida.Thanks. Cheryl
     
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