St. Christopher Lily

Crinum jagus (J. Thomps.) Dandy

CRY-num JAY-gus

Liliaceae

Explanation of name: For generic name see Crinum asiaticum. According to STD on-line, jagus is a corruption of gigas, giant.

Natural range: Africa

Recognition: Large, bulbous, umbel-bearing lily with white flowers differing from other white-flowered crinums by having the flowers curved and by having broad, overlapping petals (tepals) in a cuplike arrangement. Crinum bulbispermum (Burm.) Milne-Redh. & Schweick. and its many hybrids and cultivars can be similar but usually has reddish coloration to the curved flowers (which are white in some cultivars). There are many hybrid crinums, making certain identification difficult to impossible.

Landscape Uses:  Large bulb-bearing plants with summer flowers.  Drab when not in flower.   Bulbs proliferate and spread.  Very slow to recover post-disturbance.