These lily-like plants are mainly from the tropics, with long leaves clustered in rosettes and trumpet-shaped, or spidery-like, large scented flowers. Those in cultivation in the UK, C. x powellii, are derived from species native to South Africa, so are hardy, but do benefit from a warm, sunny well-drained, garden position. When growing well these can provide and lush, tropical effect to a border.
The large flowers of crinums contain pollen, which is eaten by some hoverflies, and nectar although this may be accessible only to long-tongued nocturnal hawkmoths which are rather few and far between.