How to Grow and Care for Rain Lilies

Rain lilies, also known as fairy lilies and zephyr flowers, are warm-climate bulbs that thrive in full sun and are adaptable to most soils. Often mistaken for crocuses due to their similar size and shape, these flowers are named for their tendency to bloom after rain showers. As a perennial, the rain lily can spread easily in gardens with minimal care, though be cautious as they can be toxic to pets and people alike.

Rain Lily Care

Rain lilies are easy to care for once planted. Here are the main requirements for growing rain lilies:

• Choose a spot with full sun, ideally receiving six hours of sunlight or more.
• Plant the bulbs in the fall four to eight inches deep.
• Plant deeper in sandy soil.
• Skip watering rain lilies, unless experiencing drought.

Light

Choose an area in full sun to plant rain lilies. Some dappled shade or afternoon shade is usually tolerated, especially in hot climates.

Soil

The bulbs can handle various drainage situations, thriving in both wet and sandy soils.

Water

While rain lilies can survive periods of drought, you won’t see their flowers until a summer soaking triggers the blooms to appear. You can choose to wait out the drought, or irrigate the flowers thoroughly to prompt flowering.

Temperature and Humidity

Rain lilies prefer warm, humid environments but can still thrive in containers in cooler zones.

Types of Rain Lilies

White and pink rain lilies are common, but numerous named cultivars offer more color options.

• ‘Abacos Apricot’: Also known as August grass, this native of the Bahamas features coral blooms with a yellow center.
• ‘Bangkok Peach’: From July until early fall, enjoy the most delicate pale peach-hued blooms.
• ‘Beni Tama’: Flowering begins in June, with pink blooms and prominent yellow stamens.
• ‘Big Dude’: Broad white petals have a hint of lavender frost, making them glow in the moon garden.
• ‘Rose Perfection’: A rare selection sporting perfectly pink flowers with a central white stripe on each petal.
• ‘Star of Bethlehem’: Vivid orange flowers with some yellow streaking.
• ‘Fedora’: Large white flowers begin early, in May, and continue throughout the summer.
• ‘Lily Pies’: If you must choose just one, let it be this striking pink and white bicolor.
• ‘Midas Touch’: As the name implies, bright gold blooms on 10-inch stems.

Pruning

Rain lily foliage is mostly evergreen, but you can cut it back on occasion with clean pruners. You can even mow over these plants in a meadow garden without harming them.

Propagating Rain Lilies

Once established, rain lilies will spread and multiply on their own. You can also manually divide the offsets that emerge by following these steps:

1. Wait until the bulb’s dormancy period in winter.
2. Gently dig up the host bulb.
3. Separate the offsets from main bulb, while trying not to damage any roots.
4. Plant the offsets in your desired new location.

Potting and Repotting

Rain lilies grow well in pots. The tops of the bulbs should be covered by an inch of soil. Although generally planted two to four inches apart when in the ground, when grown in containers, rain lily bulbs can be placed closer together, as they prefer being crowded.

As the bulbs develop more offsets and multiply over the years, you may want to repot them into a larger vessel. Choose a new pot that is two inches wider than the previous pot. Or, you can dig up the plant, remove the offsets, and put the host plant back in its original pot.

Overwintering

In areas where rain lilies are hardy, you can leave them in the ground all year. In areas colder than zone 7, you must dig up the bulbs before the first frost and store them indoors until spring.

How to Get Rain Lilies to Bloom

Rain lilies rarely need help flowering when planted properly and grown in the proper conditions. They are usually inspired to bloom by rain.

Bloom Months

Rain lilies flower throughout the summer and into the fall.

How Long Do Rain Lilies Bloom?

An individual rain lily flower will last for a few days. The bulb may re-bloom throughout the season, especially after rainfall. Year after year, the bulbs will continue to bloom if healthy and will also spread nearby, creating more bulbs that will also bloom.

What Do Rain Lilies Look and Smell Like?

Classic rain lilies are white and have a crocus-like shape, like a funnel. They emit a light fragrance that can be described as sweet. Many varieties of rain lilies can be planted and offer additional colors besides white, such as pink and yellow.

How to Encourage More Blooms

There are a few issues that may effect rain lilies blooming. The bulbs may be planted too closely, not deeply enough, or in an area of inadequate sunlight. Try replanting them at a proper distance and depth, in a spot that gets at least six hours of direct sun.

There are also two practices that can prevent blooming: over-fertilizing and cutting the foliage after flowering in the year prior. Resist adding too much nitrogen in the soil and cutting the leaves of rain lilies in winter.

Lastly, though rain lily bulbs are drought-resistant, you may need to give them a drink in particularly thirsty times to encourage them to bloom more.

Caring for Rain Lilies After They Bloom

Cut back flowers after they are finished, which will allow the bulb to put out more flowers. At the end of the growing season, you can trim back the plant, but do not do so until stems become brown and hollow. There is no need to trim it back before then.

Deadheading Rain Lilies

Remove spent flowers by pinching or cutting to encourage re-blooming.