Tree Crinum (Crinum asiaticum) — identification, habitat & look-alikes

Tree crinum is a large relative of the amaryllis with clusters of fragrant white flowers with narrow, spidery petals. It's native to warm coasts of Asia and islands of the Pacific and Indian oceans, and in the US it's grown as an ornamental and has escaped into the wild in Florida and Louisiana. The whole plant is poisonous, and it's also called poison bulb or giant crinum lily.

Appearance

Growth form: A clump-forming perennial up to about 4 ft (1.2 m) tall, growing from a thick base 2½–6 in (6–15 cm) across.
Leaves: Long, strap-shaped leaves up to about 3 ft (1 m) long, 20–30 to a plant.
Flowers: Each stalk carries a cluster of 10–24 large, fragrant white flowers with narrow, spidery petals; each flower is about 1¾–3½ in (4.5–9 cm) long.

Look-alikes

Spider liliesHymenocallis

Look at the center of the flower: spider lilies have a thin, papery cup that joins the bases of the stamens. Crinums don't have this cup.

Why they get mixed upBoth are called spider lily and have big white flowers with long, narrow petals.

Where it lives

Typical habitats: Sandy seashores
Gardens and landscapes
Range: Native to East and tropical Asia and to islands of the Pacific and western Indian Ocean. In the US it is in Florida and Louisiana, and it has also escaped in Mexico, the West Indies, and on many Pacific islands.

Life cycle

Seed dispersal: The seeds are corky and float, and can survive months in seawater, which is how the plant has spread along coasts.

Cautions

Cautions: The whole plant is poisonous, especially the bulb. It contains alkaloids such as lycorine, and eating it can cause vomiting, stomach pain, and diarrhea; very large amounts can cause serious poisoning. The sap can irritate skin.

Name and classification

About the name: Some references also treat the Australian mangrove lily (Crinum pedunculatum) as a variety of this species, which is why Australia sometimes appears in its range. Here it is kept as a separate species.