Celestial Lily (Nemastylis geminiflora)
Description: The sky-blue flowers open in the late morning and curl up before 3 in the afternoon, even on overcast days. Each flower only lasts one day. Once the seed has ripened, the bulb is renewed and the plant disappears until the following spring. The bulbs colonize over time. A member of the iris family (family Iridaceae) which consists of herbs growing from rhizomes, bulbs, or corms, with narrow basal leaves and showy clusters at the tips of long stalks. There are about 60 genera and 1,500 species, distributed in temperate and tropical regions. Among them, Iris, Freesia, Gladiolus, Bugle Lily, and Montbretia are popular ornamentals. Saffron dye is obtained from Crocus, and the essence of violets, used in perfumes, is extracted from the rhizomes of Iris.
Family: Iridaceae
Synonym(s): Ixia acuta, Nemastylis acuta
USDA Symbol: NEGE
Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Size Class: 0-1 ft.
Bloom Color: Blue
Bloom Time: Mar, Apr, May
Water Use: Medium
Light Requirements: Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Dry
Bloom Notes: Bloom Notes: Sky blue, bloom period about 2 weeks, with each flower surviving only one day, opening in the morning and closing late afternoon.
Native Habitat: Prairie, Plains, Meadows, Pastures, Savannahs
ATTRIBUTION: All of the Texas Wildflower images in this post are copyrighted and are the exclusive property of Terry B. Kahler. Reproduction without explicit written consent is prohibited. Some of the information contained in this section was taken from the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center website and is being used under their terms of use. Redistribution from this site is prohibited. Additional information contained in this section was taken from the USDA website including the USDA code.
