Hymenocallis harrisiana - Spider Lily

Hymenocallis harrisiana, the Mexican spider lily, is a sought-after botanical species prized for its large, fragrant white flowers, reminiscent of a daffodil and a spider. This collector's bulbous plant, with its refined exotic character, will find a place in gardens with mild climates and in containers. Its arachnid-like flowers with a sweet scent make it a delightful plant to place on a terrace or near a pathway to enjoy its evening fragrance.

A botanical species and not a cultivar, Hymenocallis harrisiana was described in 1840 by the botanist William Herbert from plants imported from Mexico. It belongs to the Amaryllidaceae family and bears several historical synonyms: Pancratium harrisianum, Pancratium mexicanum, Nemepiodon mexicanum, Troxistemon mexicanus as well as Hymenocallis dillenii and H. milleri.
It is a perennial geophyte, with deciduous foliage, native to central and southwestern Mexico. It is found in seasonally dry but rather humid areas, often at the bottom of depressions, in meadows or former marshes around the Mexico City region.
Its bulb, ovoid and tunicate, 3 to 5 cm in diameter, has an elongated neck that protrudes slightly from the soil. It is equipped with fleshy, so-called contractile roots, capable of gradually pulling the bulb to the depth that suits it. The plant produces a rosette of 4 to 7 strap-shaped leaves in spring, erect then arching, 20 to 40 cm long and 1.5 to 3 cm wide, of a slightly bluish glaucous green, with a fairly firm texture; these leaves dry up at the onset of dormancy, in September-October. The flowering scape, hollow, rises to 30 to 40 cm, sometimes more under very good conditions. It bears at its summit an umbel of 3 to 8 flowers protected by two membranous bracts. Each flower, 10 to 15 cm in diameter, has a small tube, a central crown shaped like a cup 2 to 3 cm in diameter, finely dentate and often veined with green, and 6 long, narrow tepals, linear, slightly twisted and reflexed, which can reach 6 to 8 cm in length, giving the flower its star-like appearance with slender legs. Their colour is pure white, slightly greenish at the base. The fragrance, more pronounced in the evening and at night, is soft and sweet. Flowering occurs between May and July depending on the region and temperature; each flower lasts only one night or one day, but the succession of buds allows for several weeks of flowering. This species shows relatively rapid growth: the bulbs divide and produce many offsets forming a tight clump. In cultivation, it is considered hardy down to -7 °C, even -10 °C in perfectly drained and dry soil in winter; below these temperatures, the bulb risks freezing and it is preferable to grow it in a pot overwintered frost-free.

In the garden, Hymenocallis harrisiana finds its place in a small exotic border, in non-scorching sun. In mild climates, it can be planted near a water feature, or along a path, with Gladiolus 'White Prosperity' and Nerine bowdenii which will take over later in summer and autumn. In colder regions, plant the bulbs in a large pot or deep planter, place this container on the terrace among white dwarf dahlias like Dahlia Gallery 'Art Fair' or compact cannas like Canna 'Pink President'; you will bring the pot indoors into a frost-free and dry location from autumn onwards. Place the container near a pathway or door to fully enjoy the fragrance of the flowers at dusk.

In its native range, this spider lily is traditionally grown near houses and in patios. Its cut flowers are sometimes used to scent rooms or domestic altars.