Okay, okay… clearly not everything on this website has to be native! Eucharist lily (Eucharis amazonica) blooms are just so stunning that I couldn’t help but show mine off. My little patch is extra special to me, because these were passed down through my family. My grandma got a few Eucharist lilies way back when, and they just kept propagating and propagating. She gave a few plants and bulbs to her daughters, and decades later, my mother eventually gave a few to me. Now we each have our own little patches, all originating from my grandma’s original handful of bulbs.
Not everything I plant has to be native, as long as it does benefit the local environment, and certainly it must not be invasive. Eucharist lilies, also known as Amazon lilies, aren’t actually native to the Amazon. They’re native to the Andes in Columbia and Peru (low elevations, where it doesn’t get too cold). Eucharist lilies do not have any invasive potential, at least not here in South Florida. You have to be careful with lilies though — some do have invasive potential such as Calla lilies in California.
These lilies don’t like cold temperatures at all, and thus are limited to Zones 10-11. Though they’re far from their South American place of origin, mine are really loving life here in Fort Lauderdale. They like shade, and moist soil rich in organic content. I planted mine under a Laurel Oak and Balfour Aralia, both of which provide really thick shade, but the lilies like it just fine. In fact, I think the Laurel Oak was a perfect place, because it sheds so many leaves that the lilies automatically get the organic matter and moisture control they crave. Beware — lubber grasshoppers really like to munch on their leaves!
If you’re craving more information on the Eucharist Lily, check out the University of Florida IFAS Extension’s article: FPS198/FP198: Eucharis amazonica, Amazon Lily, Eucharist Lily