A: Thanks for bringing in a specimen with the flower; it made it much easier to identify. I believe what you have is a Swamp lily – Crinum americanum. It is a Florida native, which grows well in wetlands and along streams throughout the state. The swamp lily is a perennial herb, with an onion-like bulb. The leaves are erect to spreading. Leaves are strap-like, up to 3 feet long and 3 inches wide. Swamp lily flowers arise from the bulb on a long flower stalk that is separate from the leaves. Two to six flowers occur at the tip of the flower stalk. The long flower tubes are 4 to 6 inches long. Swamp lily flowers are white, or white and pink, and slightly fragrant. The fruit is a capsule, with large, fleshy seeds. Swamp lilies may be confused with spider lilies (genus Hymenocallis). The flowers of both the swamp lily and spider lily have 6 petals but spider lily flower petals will be connected by membranous tissue. Swamp lily is a great plant for those areas where water has a tendency to pool or in poorly drained soil.

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