Not a copper lily, but I received a 'Blackberry Lily' from DStartz and she said to contact her if I had any questions. My Blackberry Lily had some problems getting started, too. Maybe she can add to this post. Here is some info that I found helpful. It was on the Lily Garden:

"Look for a spot that is the first to dry out after rain. Lilies can be bothered by botrytis, a fungus that spots the leaves in prolonged cool, wet weather. This should not be a problem in the home garden if you provide for good air circulation and space the plants so that leaves can dry out easily after rain. If you do see brown spots on the leaves, use any fungicide recommended for roses."

sunnysa, Thanks - habranthus is a bit of odd duck (for me, anyway). No problem with brown spots on the leaves... there are simply no leaves for much of the year. They push up a single flower - usually after rain - and a few leaves follow once seeds have set. Two more came up after the previous photo and all three are now setting seed. They just don't seem to retain their sparse green foliage long enough to re-energize the bulb. We started with 8 or so three years ago, so number has dwindled by about half. Very easy to start from seed, but takes two years before bulbs are ready to transplant.

Exposure is mid-day sun with dappled shade in early morning and late afternoon. Soil is Blackland Prairie clay. We give them a light organic feeding a couple times a year. Drainage is good (near top of hill) and gets deep watering as needed with lawn (maximum once weekly Jun/Jul, twice weekly Aug/Sep).

Couldn't find much about their life-cycle, so could be that bulbs are just not long lived. Suppose photos of natural occurring mass "plantings" could be where they've simply seeded out over time.

Here is a link that might be useful: Rio Grande copper-lily

I have seen a lawn of them in Austin that has been loaded with them for 30 years. I am always tempted to collect seeds before someone razes that small tarry town itsy bitsy bungalow and puts in a monster house.

Wantonamara, The pods set, split, and drop seed very quickly, so best to watch daily or bag them to catch the seeds before they're blowing across the ground.

A yard-full in bloom would be something to see. Have only seen them massed over an area of a dozen or so square feet when lucky to catch them during a drive through central Texas days after a rain. Since they're nearly invisible most of the year, I'm sure there have been many other spots they passed unknown. Depending upon the source, we (DFW) are in or just north of their native range. Would love to use them in the nooks of the borders or even in the lawn if could figure out what they need to naturalize around here.

Unfortunately our source for the Texensis variety bulbs has been depleted for a while. So, will keep coaxing the seeds along in pots until/if we can get the bulb numbers up enough to experiment in some other spots.

Here is a link that might be useful: Field of Habranthus tubispathus var Texensis

This post was edited by bostedo on Sun, Jul 13, 14 at 15:41

Bostedo, maybe they need more sun? I got some of them today from Barton Springs Nursery (Austin). I assume they like similar conditions like Zephirantes, so I plan to plant them in the same area.

Omar

Omar, Could be right about them needing more sun, though our zephyranthes is thriving with similar exposure. We'll experiment when the seed starts get bigger or we find another source. Thanks for confirming BSN has them, will remember to check next time we get by there.

Unlike zephyranthes, habranthus tubispathus (var Texensis?) does not quickly produce offsets, so most propagation occurs by seed rather than division. Helps explain the fields of distributed volunteers rather than clumps of flowers... and possibly why the commercial supply is so sporadic. They germinate very well in a pot, but either our garden conditions are not right for self seeding or the slugs+ have been getting them early.

Last week's 1.25+ inch rainfall prompted another seven copper lilies to bloom - which is the most going at once since they were planted 3 years ago. Seems I should have waited another three weeks before starting this thread.

Only had 1 to 3 bloom at a time last year, so looks like it takes a pretty solid rain event to set most of them off together. At least seven of the original eight bulbs are still going. Three of the new flowers came up adjacent to the previous scapes, so appear to be offsets (yay!)..... but still no sign of leaves on any. Guess they are actually "thriving" as well as can be expected, just more ephemeral than anything else in our garden.

I think that we, gardeners, mess up with their natural inner clocks when we provide supplemental water.

Omar

Imagine irrigation probably does affect their timing, though have never been able to fake any type of rain lily into blooming in the garden with tap water. Pretty sure there is some key trace chemistry the water utilities don't get quite right. Anybody know if well water can do it? How about harvested rainwater..... or does it go "stale"?

My wild guess is that the partial/randomized flowering is something that evolved as one of their species survival attributes.

My little copper lily patch also went down to one flower this July. I think it's because the area has become more shady as a live oak that was young when we moved in has bulked up over 10 years.
Guess it's time to try to buy more.

I've read that rainlilies can't be triggered by water alone but they also need a change in atmospheric pressure. (That's on Neil Sperry's website but I've seen that theory somewhere else, too.)

Annie in Austin

Annie, Atmospheric pressure change makes sense. Reminded me of seeing somewhere that greenhouse rain lilies will bloom if watered while it's raining. Don't know if it's true, but fits if both moisture and pressure change are necessary. Thanks for the input.

I don't know if watering rain lilies when it's raining is true either bostedo, but it would be worth trying next time we get a hint of drizzle!

Here's an update on the pot of copper lilies started from seed mentioned in the original post: they finally flowered (a lot) over the past two weeks! Something in the neighborhood of 3 years after they were planted. The flowers and seed pods in this photo were followed by another five blooms:

I can't get them to grow AND BLOOM for me. I have germinated and then put the bulbs out there and still nothing. I will keep doing this every time someone gives me seed (Hint hint) in the hopes of a golden ephemeral appearance.

Mara, I can take a hint - hopefully they'll naturalize better in your setting than they seem to do in our in urban clay.

OH goody goody!!!!!

Ah! Clever lady!!

Omar

I just gather them by hand as they are splitting.

Thanks - never would have thought to look for something like that at the dollar store. Checking on the quick opening pods twice a day can probably catch 70-80%, but only works when I'm available AND remember.

Right..... my memory is just not there some days, lol The draw string makes a snug fit and you can just pull it to close. I don't even tie a knot in it. This is what it looks like in the pack:

Organza - of course! Asking for "mesh" bags always got me sent to the laundry or sports departments. Just ordered 100 of these unbelievably inexpensive and absurdly ornate bags through Amazon... so, either in for some frou-frou gardening or will have enough small gift bags for the next decade. :-)

Big grin! :-) Please note the size... they are very small (3" x 4"). "Frou-frou gardening,..." that is so funny. It will keep the neighbors wondering what you're up to, lol. Our neighbor just stands at the fence and asks "What's that?" :-)

I wish I could find some larger sizes. I didn't think about Amazon. Thanks for the tip!

Edited: Wow! I just saw your link! Yours are so beautiful and really inexpensive! I'm going to order some too! Thanks for the link!

Yes, I was glad for the smaller size... amazing the options out there once you know what to search for. Similar cost to the paper or Ziploc sacks I'm currently using - and less than the small special order seed bags in retail quantities. We've used our old red or brown produce mesh sacks for bulbs, but now can have organza in a variety of sizes and almost any color of the rainbow - may rock at the next swap :-D

Back on topic, I'm still wondering how copper lilies manage to produce enough
energy to survive. The leaves seem to appear for very short periods
once they start blooming at maturity - that's what makes it so tough to
know how they're doing (or where they even are). The grass-like foliage that
persisted over the 2.5+ years with the potted juvenile plants from
germination to first bloom is now dying off, so seems to be starting this adult cycle of appearing and disappearing - more like a spider than a rain lily. A vendor I don't remember
seeing when we bought ours back in 2012 says they take 5 years to get
established and spread... so, may have a year to go before judging how the ones from 2012 are actually naturalizing in our clay.

The leaves here are present from shortly after blooming till early-mid spring...so they photosynthesize all winter. They seem to do better left to own devices (aka naturalizing in the sunny lawn) than in an area where you provide care (and water)...just an observation.

Thanks, dbarron. That's pretty much the behavior I've been expecting... but haven't quite seen. Ones in the clay soil here put up leaves between blooms for fairly short, almost haphazard, intervals. Though must be long enough since they're still around after four years. Will see if the ones currently blooming for the first time in improved potting soil behave differently.