Zephyranthes

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Zephyranthes

Zephyranthes candida

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Liliopsida
Order:	Asparagales
Family:	Amaryllidaceae
Genus:	Zephranthes Herb

Zephyranthes is a genus of about 70 species in the Amyaryllis family. Common names for the flowers in this genus include fairy lily, rainflower, zephyr lily and rain lily. They are native to the Americas. They have erect, funnel-shaped, crocus-like flowers with six petals which bloom spring to autumn often a few days after rainstorms. The most common colors for Zephyranthes flowers are pink, white and yellow. Some flowers of the species have a nice and sweet fragrance. The flowers last usually only for a day but others may appear in a burst of flowering especially during humid or rainy weather. This genus also has variable foliage raning from dark green and somewhat shiny leaves, (such as in Z. candida), to tiny grassy leaves in species like Z.jonesi or Z. longifolia, to broader glaucous leave in species like Z. drummondii. Most parts of the plant, leaf, stems and roots are toxic.

The name Zephyranthes is actually named after Zephyrus, the greek God of the west wind.