Queen Emma Lilies, Delivered and Planted in SW Florida

Queen Emma lily is the bold crinum to plant for a large tropical accent in a sunny to part-shade Southwest Florida bed. Broad, strap-like leaves form a dramatic clump 4 to 6 ft tall, and pink-and-white flower clusters rise in the warm months. We stock green and purple leaf forms in 7 gallon, and our crew plants and waters them in.

Light:: Full sun to part shade; purple leaf color is strongest in full sun
Water:: Moderate; tolerates wet soil and dry spells once established
Salt:: Moderate

Text Me a Planted Price Call (239) 799-5594

Queen Emma Lily sizes we deliver and plant

Every size below is planted by our crew, set at the right depth and watered in. Send the size and how many, and we text back a planted price, usually within the hour during the day.

Variety or form	Sizes	Good to know
Queen Emma Lily Green	7 Gallon	The green-leaved form, a calmer tropical look that suits beds with colorful flowers around it, in 7 gallon.
Queen Emma Lily Purple	7 Gallon	The purple-leaved form, with burgundy foliage that is deepest in full sun and fades toward green in shade, in 7 gallon.

Queen Emma Lily in SW Florida, at a glance

Mature size here: 4 to 6 ft tall and about as wide
Light: Full sun to part shade; purple leaf color is strongest in full sun
Water: Moderate; tolerates wet soil and dry spells once established
Salt tolerance: Moderate
Cold tolerance: Leaves burn in frost and temperatures below about 25°F can damage the plant; established bulbs regrow in spring
Growth rate: Moderate
Spacing: 4 to 6 ft on center
Florida native: No
Botanical name: Crinum augustum 'Queen Emma'

Where Queen Emma Lily works in a SW Florida yard

Queen Emma lily gives a bed height and a bold, sculptural leaf shape that smaller plants cannot. Use it at the back of a tropical bed, at the corner of a house, or beside a pond where moist soil suits it.

The purple form pairs well with bromeliads, orange bird of paradise and ginger, while the green form reads quietly beside heliconia.

Bold tropical accent
Back-of-bed backdrop
Pond and pool edges
Purple foliage contrast

How our crew plants it

Keep the bulb neck at or just above the soil line; burying it invites rot. Dig a hole twice as wide as the container and backfill with native sand and a little compost.

Space plants 4 to 6 ft apart. Water in and mulch off the neck. Keep the soil moist at first; Lee and Collier allow extra watering for new plantings.

Care after planting

Water regularly in the dry season, November to May; established clumps tolerate dry spells but flower better with steady moisture.
Crinums respond to a spring feeding with slow-release fertilizer and a second in early fall, but not during the Lee County, Naples and Marco Island June 1 to September 30 ban on nitrogen and phosphorus.
Cut off spent flower stalks and tattered leaves at the base, and trim frost-burned leaves after the last frost.
Divide crowded clumps in the rainy season.

What to watch for

All parts of crinum, especially the bulb, contain toxic alkaloids that can sicken pets and children if eaten, so keep dogs from digging the bulb.
Lubber grasshoppers and lily borer caterpillars chew crinum leaves, so hand-pick them early before the damage looks bad.

Queen Emma Lily questions we hear

How big does a Queen Emma lily get?+

A mature Queen Emma lily forms a clump 4 to 6 ft tall and about as wide, and some clumps reach 8 ft in rich, moist soil. Leaves are broad and strap-like, and flower stalks rise above them in the warm months. Leave 4 to 6 ft between plants and 3 ft from walks.

Will Queen Emma lily survive a freeze in Cape Coral or Fort Myers?+

Usually. Crinum leaves burn in a hard frost, and temperatures below about 25°F can damage the plant, but established clumps regrow from the bulb in spring. Coastal yards rarely get that cold. Inland, cover young plants on frost nights and cut burned leaves back after the last frost.

Is Queen Emma lily poisonous to dogs?+

Yes, it can be. Crinum lilies contain alkaloids, especially in the bulb, that can cause vomiting, drooling and other problems if eaten. Dogs that dig are the main risk, so plant it where pets do not dig, and call your vet if a pet has eaten any part of it.

Updated October 2026