It's very easy for me to overlook Zephranthes candida. This rain lily seems to be too common to pay much attention to. It also needs nearly no attention to survive, even to thrive. In fact, it is so easy to grow, that it feels like a weed. The leaves are grassy and nondescript, but a pleasant medium green that grow to 4-6 inches tall. They become a bit ratty looking in late summer, right before the monsoon weather comes, but not terribly so. Then, it seems that overnight that plant turns into a drama queen. It's like on one of those shows on television when the mousy shy person comes out to sing and then when they open their mouths, they are so amazing that they blow everyone away.
Those same qualities that make it easy to overlook is what makes it so valuable. It will grow in full sun. It will grow in more than part shade, which is an amazing feat in New Mexico, where most plants need a specific exposure, those that need full sun growing pathetically weak in even part shade, and those that do best in part shade burning in the full sun or struggling in more shade.
It's true that they do better with some irrigation, but don't really need as much as many common plants.
They multiply quite quickly, are easy to divide, and are so tough that I've dug and transplanted at any time of the year without any noticeable difference. This year, when the leaves started turning brown at the tips in the summer, I cut them all down to the ground. I didn't like the bare ground look that resulted, however. It lasted for about a month until the plants began to bloom, and the plants went on to bloom like they do normally. Had I not cut them back, there would have been green leafy coverage. Speaking of which, the green leaves last through the winter, and look great, like mondo grass, even through snow and sub-zero temperatures. How many plants have all these qualities?
My plants have been blooming for more than a month now, despite the frost. Usually they bloom from late August through September and into October. It's about a two month show. Inspired by these tough, vigorous and impressive plants of Z. candida, I purchased another species of Zephranthes, Z. drummondii, but it hasn't proved to be nearly as tough and floriferous as Z. candida, requiring more attention, having a very brief mid-summer bloom and foliage that does not make a good landscape presence. Will I try other Zephranthes? Probably not, given the proven qualities of Zephranthes candida.
Those same qualities that make it easy to overlook is what makes it so valuable. It will grow in full sun. It will grow in more than part shade, which is an amazing feat in New Mexico, where most plants need a specific exposure, those that need full sun growing pathetically weak in even part shade, and those that do best in part shade burning in the full sun or struggling in more shade.
It's true that they do better with some irrigation, but don't really need as much as many common plants.
They multiply quite quickly, are easy to divide, and are so tough that I've dug and transplanted at any time of the year without any noticeable difference. This year, when the leaves started turning brown at the tips in the summer, I cut them all down to the ground. I didn't like the bare ground look that resulted, however. It lasted for about a month until the plants began to bloom, and the plants went on to bloom like they do normally. Had I not cut them back, there would have been green leafy coverage. Speaking of which, the green leaves last through the winter, and look great, like mondo grass, even through snow and sub-zero temperatures. How many plants have all these qualities?
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