eBay

DESCRIPTION:

Zephyranthes 'Ajax' is a cheerful yellow that likes rich soil and lots of moisture. We knew it would be interesting because when it first bloomed for us about 15 years ago, one of the flowers had 8 instead of 6 petals (see last 3 photos with 7 and 8 petals). Several other rain lilies exhibit the trait, such as Z. grandiflora (see our listing). It opens bright yellow and fades to a light yellow the second day. Also, the flower opens small but grows the first day to about 2 1/2" in diameter. It forms seeds (easily with manual pollination) and some offset bulbs reaching about 13" tall. The mature bulbs are about 3/4" in diameter. We have recorded blooms from August-November (like its mother, Z. candida that is a late summer bloomer) here in northeast Florida, zone 9. We are offering this for the first time on eBay in 2014.

Rain lilies bloom about 4 days after a rain. Blooms are stimulated by the nitrogen, which is created by lightning, and picked up in the raindrops.

In 2014 we started a small hybridization effort which has produced seeds from about 50 different crosses of which about 30 survived germination and produced bulbs as of the end of 2015. We plan to continue this in the hope of introducing some of our own hybrids in a few more years. Currently we grow about 275 different rain lilies, including our new hybrids: 210 different zephyranthes, 30 habranthus and 3 zephbranthus (cross of zephyranthes and habranthus), plus our hybrids. We are actively seeking new species or hybrids and can provide a list of our collection upon request.

Our listings includes free shipping. The two leading nurseries that sell rain lilies charge from $17 to $23 just for shipping one selection in addition to the cost of the plant.

BACKGROUND:

Zephyranthes 'Ajax' is a hybrid bulb of the white Z. candida and the yellow Z. citrina. The general difference between Zephyranthes and Habranthus is that the Habranthus bloom is at an angle to the stem and the Zephyranthes bloom, more or less, points straight up from the stem. Whites and golds generally do better in the hot sun and pinks do better in light shade. We grow all of ours in the hot Florida sun and they do fine, but we find that bulbs that have more shade sometimes grow even larger.

GROWING CONDITIONS:

Rain lily bulbs generally will grow in a wide variety of soils and will do fine in any garden setting with an average amount of water. A few varieties require much more water. They thrive in rich soil with ample water and full sun. Plants require less care if planted in the ground, but they will make excellent container plants. Most varieties form seeds and a few do not form offset bulbs reproducing only from seed. Most rain lilies will do better if they are pot-bound or growing in crowded conditions. If left alone, they will form dense clumps. Most rain lilies require 2-3 years to reach a blooming size from seed. A few, like Z. minima, can bloom in 1 year and others can take 4 or more years. They are usually evergreen in frost-free climates and many varieties keep their leaves even during sub-freezing temperatures. Here in the colder part of zone 9 with temperatures rarely below the 20's, they keep their foliage. It is not uncommon for some varieties to lose all of their leaves in very dry weather and a few have a dormant period where the leaves disappear for 2-3 months. They are easy to grow in pots in any climate but they must be protected from freezing temperatures. If they are stored over the winter, the pots can be allowed to dry somewhat but should not go completely dry. Do not remove the bulbs from the pots or ground more than a few weeks, however, as rain lily bulbs do not store well when they are dry out of the soil. Otherwise they are very vigorous and tolerant of more dry conditions too when planted in the ground and will do fine in zone 7b-10.

DESCRIPTION OF ITEM FOR BID:

You are bidding on 2 bulbs of mixed sizes, not all a blooming size. Regardless of size, it usually takes only a year or two to reach a blooming size. They will be shipped bare root and should be planted right away.

PHOTOS/ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

These are pictures of our plants, so you know exactly what they look like and what you will receive. The photos show the plant in various stages of growth. Please feel free to contact us for additional information, and click on "Me" following our star rating. Also, we invite you to go to our store (little red door) and look at other items we have for sale.