Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Swamp-Lily, A Last Hurrah - Pam Johnson Brickell


Last week my friend, Kate, called to say she saw a flower off in the woods and thought it was something special. It sure was! A Swamp-Lily! Also known as String-Lily, Crinum americanum L.

A few days later, I was able to go take a look at it. The weather was threatening but, I did manage to make an ink sketch of it in my journal.  Then it started to sprinkle so I took a photograph, and off the the shelter of my car I went!  I painted the ink drawing from my reference photo.

I was a bit dismayed, as I didn't leave much room for the flower names......... ah well.

I call this 'A Last Hurrah' as the lily's bloom time is from June to October.  I saw quite a few plants around the area, but all had long since bloomed.  It's in the amaryllis family. A real beauty and uncommon in SC, though it can be found in the southern coastal area of the state.  That's us :)

6 comments:

  1. Wow Pam! Your depiction of the Lily is gorgeous! You've captured those curling leaves beautifully! From the name I gather they like boggy and wet conditions?

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  2. Very delicate handling of this delicate plant and beautiful colors. Sorry the rain chased you away. Are they also called spider lilies?

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  3. Thank you, Maree! Yes, this lovely prefers swamps, marshes and stream margins.

    Thanks, Rhonda! My guide book states they are 'erroneously call Spider-Lily' but, the true spider-lilies are from the genus Hymenocallis.

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  4. It's beautiful, Pam! I don't think I've ever seen one...and you managed to get all the information in there!

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  5. A lovely page, Pam! The variety both in background and detail makes it so lively.

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