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Spider Lily

Hymenocallis caroliniana (hy-men-oh-KAL-is kair-oh-lin-ee-AN-uh)

Family: Amaryllidaceae Unknown Herbaceous

Grow in shallow water; bulbous Description: Herbaceous perennial from a bulb; leaves basal, strap-like; flowers fragrant, white or ivory, 6-parted, funnel-shaped, the 6 stamens connected at base with a thin white membrane. Found in: Houseplant or interiorscape; forest or natural area in marshes, shallow streams, and ditches; landscape in flower gardens as herbaceous perennial

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 25 attributes.

How it fits the guild

Guild layer 4 - Herbaceous
See companions & conflicts ↓

Companions & Conflicts

Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.

No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.

Also noted by NC State

Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.

Full plant profile

Growing Conditions
Plant type
Bulb; Houseplant; Perennial; Poisonous; Water Plant
Life cycle
Bulb; Perennial
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous
Form & Appearance
Leaf color
Green
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Thick strap-like leaves
Flower color
White
Flower detail
Umbel of 3 to 6 white spider-like flowers; very fragrant
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Container; Houseplants; Pond
Landscape theme
Water Garden
Garden tags
#bulb #poisonous #water garden #cutting garden #perennial #fragrant flowers
Problems & Resistance
Problems
Poisonous to Humans
Poison severity
Low
Poison parts
Roots
Poison symptoms
Poison Part: Bulbs Poison Delivery Mode: Ingestion Symptoms: Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea
Toxic principle
Lycorine and other phenanthridine alkaloids
Contact dermatitis
No
Toxicity summary
Low severity poison; parts: Roots

Planted at Hunnicutt

Nobody’s planted this one yet.