History

• Crinum, also known as cape lily, spider lily or swamp lily, originated in South Africa. As a warm climate flower, crinums are hardy in USDA Hardiness Zone 10 and 11. Mulch crinums in Zones 8 and 9 in order to leave them in the ground over winter. However, in Zones 4 through 7, grow crinums in containers, according to North Carolina State University Cooperative Extension.
  
  

Features

• According to the University of Florida IFAS Extension, you can plant crinums at any time of the year in USDA Hardiness Zones 8 through 11. However, that is not necessarily optimal. Fall and spring are the best time and season to plant crinum lily bulbs, according to North Carolina State University Extension.
  
  

Considerations

• As a warm climate flower, crinum lilies often grow in ditches and on abandoned home sites throughout the South. They grow 3 to 5 feet high and have a similar spread. The blooms come in a variety of colors, including white, pink, red and crimson, and flowers also come in solid colors or stripes, according to North Carolina State University.