How to Buy a Rain Lily Plant
- 1). Find out the best way to grow rain lily in your area. According to Floridata, this plant can be grown as a perennial bulb in USDA Hardiness zones 8 to 10. Gardeners in zones 4 to 7 can grow these bulbs in containers and move them indoors for the winter months. Those in colder climates should not grow rain lilies.
- 2). Read up on different types of rain lily bulbs to determine which is the best for you. Varieties recommended by the University of Florida include Zephyranthes Apricot Queen, which is pale orange and blooms in the late summer to fall; Capricorn, which resembles a tiger lily; the bright yellow Citrina; the white Bombay; the pink-yellow Krakatau; the intense pink macrosiphon; the Habranthus Cherry Pink; and pink Grandiflora.
- 3). Call local garden centers and ask if they carry rain lily bulbs. If you're interested in a particular variety or a color of lily (like yellow), ask what types of bulbs they have. Depending on the time of year and how specific your request is, you may need to contact several stores before you find one with rain lilies in stock.
- 4). Head to a store that has lily bulbs and find the rain lily section.
- 5). Look at the bulbs, discounting any that are moldy. You do not want to buy these. Turn the bulb over to the root end and look at the root. It's not uncommon for lily bulbs to have a few roots clinging to the bulb. If you notice scratches, nicks and bumps on the bulb, however, don't buy it. Choose the biggest bulbs you can find, since this means the plant will have more energy to grow.
- 6). Sniff any bulbs you're preparing to buy. Some bulbs may look fine but be rotten inside, and these will have a sour smell.