Alabaster Lily of the Amazon

The blooming of the Amazon lily is an event when it appears on the porch in midsummer. It is of such dazzling whiteness and such oddness of texture and form that it truly seems to be carved from alabaster. Its perfume, a combination of honeysuckle and white hosta, fills the house.

There is no other flower like it. Its petals are recurvate, with the stamens attached to the cunningly scalloped cup, which is lined with pale yellow green. The flowers form a cluster, varying from six to seven blossoms. Since these do not open all at once, this extends the time of blooming.

All evergreens prefer sun, but a few which will thrive in shade include Tsuga canadensis, Canada hemlock; Taxiis cuspidate (and varieties) and Mums mugo, Swiss mountain pine. Our native American yew, which grows in the deep woods, Taxus canadensis, and is known as Canada yew or ground-hemlock, tolerates considerable shade.

The leaves are like those of the hosta and are sometimes as long as 14 inches. An ideal spot for the blooming plant is on the mantle shelf, as the flower is most beautiful from an ant’s eye view.

The Amazon or Bethlehem lily, Eucharis grandiflora, is one of the amaryllids. Except in Florida and California, it must be grown indoors. It may be ordered and planted at any time of the year. While it is not as easy to bring into flower as some of the amaryllids, the pride of the grower is that much greater when the buds do appear.

by P Keeley

Related Articles Of Interest:

• Amazon Lily – Eucharis Grandiflora
• The Ideal Houseplant
• Aspidistra elatior – The Cast Iron Plant
• Peace Lily – Spathiphyllum – Going Droopy