Yearning for a cahaba lily?

Cahaba lily

There isn't an avid gardener in central Alabama that doesn't yearn to grow the stunningly beautiful but rare (and protected) native Cahaba lily.  They only grow in a few streams that contain their very specific requirements of fast flowing, shallow water over rocky shoals.  People regularly make challenging pilgrimages to these obscure locations every May when word goes out that the Cahaba lilies are in bloom.

My white spider lily

There is an alternative for the wishful gardener; another lily that is similar to the Cahaba in appearance but not nearly as fussy about where it is willing to grow and bloom.  A good friend shared some white spider lily bulbs with me three years ago.  I planted them in partial shade and waited.

This week, my long wait for flowers has been rewarded;  my spider lilies are blooming.  They are smaller than Cahaba lilies and look slightly different but I don't have to make a pilgrimage to the Cahaba River to enjoy them.  They are growing right in my Alabama backyard.