It is considered native to Thailand, Indonesia (Maluku, Sulawesi, Bali, Lombok, Timor), the Philippines, the Bismark Archipelago, Vanuatu, New Guinea and Australia (Queensland and Western Australia).

[1][7] Its species epithet amboinensis was named after the island of Ambonia, now Ambon in Indonesia.

[2] The Caldwell lily grows on seashores and rocky places up to an altitude of 500 metres.

A total of 5–25 white flowers grow in an umbel on stalks over between 15 and 90 cm long,[4]: 366  each flower is trumpet shaped and release a pleasant scent with filaments 2–3 mm long.

Fruit produced from pollination are green to blackish capsules 25–30 mm across.