It is known along the Gulf Coast from South Carolina to Texas, and in the Mississippi Valley as far north as southern Illinois and Indiana.

[4] Many of the other U.S. species of the genus grow in wetlands and along streambanks, but H. occidentalis can often be found in mesic forests.

[1] Some of the Mexican species (e. g. H. clivorum and H. pimana) can similarly be found some distance from waterways.

[5][6][7] Hymenocallis occidentalis is a bulb-forming perennial herb bearing an umbel of 3-9 showy flowers, each white with a green center, opening one at a time.

[1][7][8][9][10] The name Hymenocallis caroliniana has been frequently misapplied to this species but is properly a synonym of Pancratium maritimum.