White Lilly will not flower (uncertain of the correct name)

(Question)

I had purchased these lilly bulbs and the first year I planted them, they were lovely. I have already tried 2 years in a row to get them to flower and they won’t. Their foliage is beautiful and it looks promising, but it just doesn’t happen. What am I doing wrong. Please provide the correct name of this beautiful lilly. Thanks

(Answer)

Thank you for contacting the Toronto Master Gardeners. I think your plant could be a Beach Spider Lily (Hymenocallis littoralis), also known as Peruvian Daffodil, belonging to the Amaryllis family. This is a tropical plant that can withstand temperatures dropping to about 5C, but must be protected from frost and temperatures lower than that. Typically in the Toronto area H. littoralis would be grown as a houseplant (in a large pot) that can be brought outside during warm weather and overwintered indoors.

H. littoralis should be planted with the neck and shoulders of the bulb above the soil line. This plant prefers full sun, although it will tolerate partial shade. The soil must be kept moist but not soggy at all times while it is actively growing. It should be fertilized every two weeks with a diluted balanced fertilizer. After the plant has bloomed, the spent flowers can be cut off but the leaves should be allowed to yellow and die back, so that it can replenish its nutrients for the next blooming season. Dead foliage can be removed, and then H. littoralis will benefit from a dry dormant period in the fall, in a darker spot than usual, with no fertilizing and very minimal watering, so that it is barely damp. After dormancy, the plant will begin to show signs of life as the next growing cycle begins.

Hopefully you will see more of those gorgeous Beach Spider Lily blooms soon !