The Ancient Crinum Lily of St. Simons Island and Sea Island, Georgia

Early American botanist William Bartram explored St. Simons Island, Georgia, in March 1774, vividly describing its landscape, plants, and generous inhabitants. Near present-day Fort Frederica, he noted a venerable live oak avenue leading to General Oglethorpe’s former headquarters, then the property of Capt. Raymond Demere.

Five miles south, “lively breezes were perfumed by the fragrant breath of the superb Crinum, called by the inhabitants ‘white lily’… its broad green leaves and the texture and whiteness of its flowers at once charmed me.” Bartram named it Lilium superbum, seeing pride and vanity in its form. This population has multiplied over two centuries, now cultivated extensively on St. Simons and at the Cloister Hotel on Sea Island—a five-star resort hosting U.S. presidents since Calvin Coolidge and many world leaders. Giant 6-foot clumps are visible at old slave cabins near the airport.

Botanical Details

• Flowers: Giant clusters of fragrant white blooms on sturdy stems up to 6 feet. Blooms any month, most prolifically late spring/early summer.
• Seeds: Green, quarter-sized seeds form after bloom; plant immediately on soil surface for small bulbs that develop into large plants.
• Hardiness: Evergreen in zones 8–11; re-sprouts from bulbs after killing freezes in zone 7.
• Growth Habit: In Hawaii, develops tree-like umbrellas with 8-foot trunks and 6-inch-wide leaf rosettes. In the U.S., rarely exceeds 6 feet; stems as thick as a leg. Cut stems root easily, forming new bulbs with finger-thick roots. Produces offset bulbs for propagation; occasionally divides into two equal plants.
• Transplanting: Easy in any soil; rarely shows shock.

Taxonomic Debate

Some botanists question whether Crinum asiaticum is the correct name, given the plant’s firm establishment on the U.S. Atlantic coast by 1774. Seed floating from the Pacific via Cape Horn seems unlikely due to cold currents. Crinum americanum (native to the Eastern U.S.) has narrow leaves and blooms late summer/fall—unlike Bartram’s broad-leaved, March-blooming plant. Evidence confirms Bartram’s “white lily” was Crinum asiaticum.