# Cahaba Lily (*hymenocallis coronaria*)

The Cahaba Lily (Hymenocallis coronaria) is a majestic, aquatic wildflower famous for its striking white blooms and highly specialized habitat requirements. Found only in the swift-flowing, rocky shoals of rivers and streams in the southeastern United States, this elegant member of the Amaryllis family is a true botanical treasure. Its large, fragrant flowers open for just one day, creating a brief but spectacular seasonal showcase that draws nature enthusiasts from all over the world.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Snaps:** 2
- **Habitat:** Found exclusively in swift-flowing, shallow currents of clean rivers and streams, anchored in rocky shoals that receive full sunlight.

![Cahaba Lily](https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/287909216/medium.jpg)

Photo: Douglas Goldman, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [iNaturalist](https://www.inaturalist.org/photos/287909216)

## Appearance

This stunning perennial features large, white flowers up to 15 centimeters wide, characterized by a distinct central cup (corona) resembling a daffodil, from which six long, spider-like petals extend. The flowers arise in clusters on top of a stout, leafless stalk that reaches heights of 60 to 90 centimeters, arising from a clump of strap-like, dark green leaves.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Liliopsida
- **Order:** Asparagales
- **Family:** Amaryllidaceae
- **Genus:** Hymenocallis

## Interesting facts

- Each individual flower of the Cahaba Lily blooms for only a single day, opening at dusk and withering by the following afternoon.
- The city of West Blocton, Alabama, hosts an annual Cahaba Lily Festival every May to celebrate and raise conservation awareness for this rare botanical wonder.
- The plant's seeds are completely self-contained with their own water supply, allowing them to germinate almost immediately upon sinking.

## Special abilities

- **Bulb Anchoring:** Possesses incredibly strong, heavy bulbs that wedge deep into the crevices of rocky river shoals to resist being swept away by strong aquatic currents.
- **Heavy Sinking Seeds:** Produces large, dense, bulb-like green seeds that sink immediately to the riverbed, preventing them from floating away and helping them lodge securely in rocky cracks.
- **Nocturnal Blooming:** Opens its flowers at dusk, emitting a strong fragrance to attract night-flying pollinators, maximizing pollination efficiency during its single-day lifespan.

## Measurements & details

- **Length:** 60-90 cm
- **Lifespan:** 5-20 years

## Diet & Feeding

The Cahaba Lily produces its own energy via photosynthesis, utilizing sunlight, carbon dioxide, water, and minerals absorbed through its roots in the riverbed.

- **Primary Foods:** Sunlight, Carbon dioxide, Water, Soil minerals
- **Foraging Method:** Photosynthesis

## Ecological connections

- **Mutualism:** Plebeian Sphinx Moth (*Paratrea plebeja*) — Pollinated primarily at night by this large moth species attracted to its sweet fragrance.
- **Eaten by:** [White-tailed Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — Occasionally grazes on the exposed green leaves and flower buds when river levels are low.

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

No special safety notes yet.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Cahaba Lily?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How long is Cahaba Lily?

60-90 cm

### How long does Cahaba Lily live?

5-20 years

### What does Cahaba Lily eat?

The Cahaba Lily produces its own energy via photosynthesis, utilizing sunlight, carbon dioxide, water, and minerals absorbed through its roots in the riverbed.

### Where is Cahaba Lily usually found?

Found exclusively in swift-flowing, shallow currents of clean rivers and streams, anchored in rocky shoals that receive full sunlight.

### How does Cahaba Lily hunt?

Photosynthesis

## Where to spot

- [Columbia Canal](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/columbia-canal) — South Carolina, US · Historic Site

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Cahaba Lily: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cahaba-lily)