It was not my intention to post about rain lilies in December, which being winter in India is more suited to roses and mums.
But if seasons can't differentiate between July and December and it rains in December, rain lilies are sure to get confused too. Hence the post...
The flowers are a marked harbinger of the rains. I have seen these plants throw up flower stalks with not a cloud in sight in the morning, and it starts pouring in the evening! Is it that the rains humor the flower or the plant feels the humidity before humans do....?? Either ways, it is a wonder of nature..
This is a beautiful flower of Genus Zephyranthes of the Amaryllis family. The derivation of the botanical name is very interesting- from Zephyrus, the Greek God of the west wind and anthos meaning flower.
There are many color varieties in this flower, of which I have three- pink, yellow and white, but what a show they put on!!
One would expect that with such a showy flower, there would be butterflies hovering about, but no, these flowers are attractive for humans only.
A cause for concern for these plants are the larvae of the Lily moth, a single caterpillar can put paid to all the efforts (which are none are the gardeners actually)! I have lost an entire pot of these plants, being too lazy or as I justify myself- live and let live; after all the lily moth is also a beautiful species, but never having seen one in my garden, I will let the subject slide.
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