You don’t need a green thumb to grow easygoing crinum lily.
In general, they combine bold, fragrant flowers with handsome, strap-like foliage and a bulldog constitution.
Plant crinumlily bulbsfrom April to late October.
Credit:Steve Bender
They thrive in sunny locations, are drought-tolerant, and can be divided for more plants.
Once established, your crinums will require little from you aside from occasional irrigation.
Be aware that it may take a few years for the plants to re-flower when planted from offshoot bulbs.
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Plant divisions will bloom more quickly.
For colder climates, consider growing the planting in containers that can be dug up and broughtindoors for overwintering.
Choose a sunny spot with decent soil for planting.
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Place the bulb at the bottom of the hole and cover it with soil.
It can develop leaf scorch if the intensity of the sun is particularly intense.
Most people will find that six to eight hours of sunlight is perfect for optimal growth.
Credit: Jenks Farmer
Yourideal soilfor your crinum lily should be moist but well-draining.
It should be rich with organic matter and fertile.
While this plant can grow in poor soils as well, it will be vigorous with this mix.
Since it’s not very picky about soil, it tolerates acidic, neutral, and alkaline soils.
Water
Crinum lilies perform best in locations that get consistent watering.
Pond borders and poolside placements are common.
But dont limit them to those areas.
If you water regularly, you could place these throughout your yard.
While the crinum lily can tolerateinfrequent watering, they wont grow as fast.
These may need more water during the hottest times of the year.
Excess water can cause the bulb to develop rot issues.
Temperature And Humidity
Crinum lilies grow best in warmer USDA Zones, including Zones 7-11.
In cooler climates, this plant should be brought indoors before cooler weather arrives.
Once the temperature dips below 40oF at night, you execute the risk of the leaves becoming cold-damaged.
These plants are not frost-hardy at all, and the first frost often causes dieback of foliage.
However, there are some crinum that can survive frigid winters.
The hardiest,C.
bulbispermum,is fully hardy in Zone 6A and is reported to have survived -20oF.
It is prudent to plant them 18 inches deep in this zone, however.
Fertilizer
Consider a slow-release, balanced granular fertilizer.
Spread this in early spring, early summer, and early fall around the base of plants.
Work it lightly into the soil.
This should be plenty of food for your plants.
If youd prefer a liquid, opt for a half-strength liquid fertilizer.
From spring through the summer, fertilize monthly.
Only fertilize it once early in the fall, and skip the winter entirely.
Types Of Crinum Lily
Pruning
Crinum lilies do not require pruning.
If desired,deadhead spent flowers, and remove dead or damaged foliage as needed.
Foliage will die back in winter in cold climates and regrow in spring.
Propagating Crinum Lily
Many crinums grow into large clumps of absolutely enormous bulbs that store food reserves.
This means that can they weather long stretches of drought and utter neglect and then bloom when conditions improve.
confirm it has drainage holes.
Fill the bottom of the pot with soil, and plant the bulb roots down.
The point where growth changes from white to green should be at soil level.
Fill in the remaining space with soil.
Crinum lilies should berepotted during winterdormancy or in early spring before new growth appears.
Choose a pot at least 2 inches in diameter larger than the previous pot.
Overwintering
Prepare your plant for overwintering if you live inUSDA Zones 8 or 9.
Add soil, and keep it indoors with ample light through the coldest months of the year.
you might also remove the outermost leaves on bulbs to avoid the plant taking up too much space.
Pests
Some types of grasshoppers, especially the eastern lubber grasshopper, can become a problem.
These hungry little pests will devour the leaves of your plant.
To combat these, use a bacillus thurigiensis spray or powder.
The grasshoppers wont survive.
Some types of mealybugs find crinum lily to be appetizing.
A good spraying of neem oil makes for a deterrent.
An insecticidal soap may also be useful if they are persistent.
Nematodes, particularly root-knot nematodes, may become a problem.
Use beneficial nematodes to counteract these bad forms.
The beneficial ones will protect your plants from a host of other problems, too.
Finally, those long leaves are appealing to both slugs and snails.
Not only do they provide daytime cover that the slimies can hide in, but they taste good too.
Apply an organic slug and snail bait around your plants to lure them out and kill them off.
Use neem oil to treat.
Red blotch fungus causes red spots on leaves and is difficult to control.
Remove affected foliage and treat the plant with a fungicide.
Crinum mosaic potyvirus causes yellow streaks on the leaves.
There is no treatment for this disease, so plants must be removed and disposed of to prevent spread.
They display bell-shaped or spidery blooms in white, pink, red, and striped.
In your garden, you may see signs of stress.
Leaves Turning Brown
Plants in hot, full-sun conditions can experience leaf scorch.
While not common, it does happen when the temperature peaks mid- to late summer.
If you have a large plant, a few scorched leaves wont cause you any harm.
But if its young, this may be a problem.
venture to place your plants where theres afternoon shade if youre in a hot climate.
Theyre tolerant of excess water to a point, but eventually will succumb.
Ensure your soil is well-draining to prevent this problem byadding sand or perlite.
Be sure the moisture in your soil is consistent.
Mulching around your plants can help keep the soil moist for longer periods of time.
These plants spread by producing pups that can be divided and planted to add more plants to the garden.
