Ornatec InternationalSpecies reference sheet ยท ornatecinternational.com
Zephyranthes citrina
Yellow Rain Lily
Zephyranthes citrina does exactly what its common name suggests. Within a few days of heavy rain or irrigation a planted mass throws up bright yellow crocus-like flowers on short stems, all at once, and then goes quiet again until the next soaking.
Between flushes it is a neat clump of narrow glossy dark green leaves, which makes it useful as bed edging and as a low mass under shrubs.
Specifications
- Height0.15 to 0.25 metres
- Width0.1 to 0.2 metres, clumping steadily
- Native toCentral America, and widely naturalised through the tropics
- FoliageNarrow, glossy, dark green grass-like leaves; semi-evergreen, dying back in prolonged drought
- Growth rateModerate
Conditions
- SoilPrefers free-draining sandy or loamy soils and tolerates poor ground
- LightFull sun to partial shade
- WaterLow to moderate; drought-tolerant when dormant, with flowering triggered by soaking
- ClimateThrives in tropical, subtropical and warm temperate regions
Additional Features
- FlowersBright yellow crocus-like flowers in flushes a few days after heavy rain or irrigation, mainly in summer and autumn
- UsesBed and path edging, low mass under shrubs, median strips, rockeries and containers
- SpacingPlant 20 to 30 bulbs per square metre for a closed clump
- Low MaintenanceLift and divide congested clumps every three to four years; no other work is needed
- Pest ResistanceGenerally trouble-free
- Drought ToleranceBulbs survive extended dry periods and reshoot as soon as water returns
- Seasonal AppealRepeated flowering flushes through the warm season, each one triggered by rain
The Yellow Rain Lily is a small, cheap, dependable bulb that turns an irrigation cycle into a flowering event.
Availability by project review. Sizes, quantities, origin and export readiness are confirmed after your plant schedule is reviewed against destination, timing and quarantine requirements. MEWA certified for supply into Saudi Arabia; Australian Export Registered Establishment.
Enquiries: sales@ornatecinternational.com
310 Donkin Rd, Utchee Creek QLD 4871, Australia
Prepared 08 September 2026