19 replies to this topic

[Palm crazy]

It will be a few more years before I get any flowers, but the first leaves coming out are interesting and tropical looking. All three of these plants were taken the same day.

In deep shade no sun. Very little growth.


Filter all day sun. Much better early growth.


The best growth is full morning sun with afternoon deep shade. Caterpillar moths are already getting some of the leaves.

[DoomsDave]

Whoa!

I was expecting Lilium longiflorum, which is totally different. What's the botanical name of your plant? It looks cool!

[santoury]

I think you are thinking of CALLA Lily, not Easter Lily.

[Palm crazy]

Dave and Jude you are both wrong. But good guess's. Look up the name for more information.

Scientific Name
Cardiocrinum giganteum (kar-dee-oh-cry-num)

Common Name
Giant lily, Easter lily

Plant Fact Sheets
Consumer Hort
Geophyte Organ: Bulb
[C. gigantuem]
Light Requirements: 25-50% Shade
Height: 36-96 inches (90-200 cm)
Flowering Season: Summer
Flower Color: White
Spacing Between Bulbs: 36 inches (90 cm)
Hardiness: Semi-hardy - injured below 28°F (-2°C)

Prefers well-drained but moisture retentive soil.


USDA Hardiness Zones
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
- - - M M M M - - -
M=hardy with mulch.

Edited by Palm crazy, 02 April 2012 - 03:32 PM.

[Palm crazy]

Here are some pics for you when they bloom.
In between blooming years the leaves are up to 3' 1m wide and very shinny, some var. have a red veins.

http://paradisexpres...-giganteum.html

[tjwalters]

I mail-ordered once but the plant arrived in terrible condition with few roots and didn't survive. Did you start from seed? How long from seed to flowering?

[Palm crazy]

I mail-ordered once but the plant arrived in terrible condition with few roots and didn't survive. Did you start from seed? How long from seed to flowering?

I got these last year from a local nursery.
The one in deep shade has been there for 10 years.
From seed they take 5-7 years before they will bloom but very much worth the wait and sweetly fragrant.

Buy early for best growing in the ground (mail order that is.) I think P.D. sells a smaller variety.

[santoury]

Ah yes, Cardocrinum. I've never seen them called "Easter Lily" - Interesting! Never tried them, only because they die after flowering - or so I've read.

[Palm crazy]

Ah yes, Cardocrinum. I've never seen them called "Easter Lily" - Interesting! Never tried them, only because they die after flowering - or so I've read.

Yes they do die after flowering, but they also send up a dozen little ones to replace the main plant.
My older clump has bloom twice, and I have given away many pups.

[santoury]

How long do the pups take to flower? Do they pup enough that by the time the mother flowers, the pups are close to flowering? Sounds tempting!

[Palm crazy]

How long do the pups take to flower? Do they pup enough that by the time the mother flowers, the pups are close to flowering? Sounds tempting!

If you let them multiply (don't disturb) they will bloom every year with the oldest plants. They start producing pups on four year old plants.

[santoury]

Thanks for the info! I'll have to find one now I had no idea they looked that good (like your photo.)

[Palm crazy]

Thanks, if you have anything cool to trade I'd be glad to part with a pup. That goes for you too Jude. Won't grow in Daves garden....

Edited by Palm crazy, 02 April 2012 - 06:29 PM.

[santoury]

I'd be thrilled to trade with you - send me a PM with some of you generic interests and I'll see what i can do !
Thanks! Jude

[Palm crazy]

Here is an update on the Cardiocrinum giganteum, giant lily.
First one...


The second....


And to my surprises and delight the Third one is sending up a flower stock. I will show its progress and bloom this summer with pics.


Also an interesting thing that happens a lot on these gardening boards...soon after I posted this plant I noticed all the PNW mail-order nurseries sold out of Cardiocrinum giganteum.

Edited by Palm crazy, 02 May 2012 - 11:49 AM.

[Al in Kona]

Nice! I like interesting flowering plants for the garden (between palms and other tropicals) but coming from the Himalayas is probably not going to do well in a tropical climate, right?
I have grown the lily called Philippine Lily (Lilium philippinenses). It looks like a typical Easter lily with fragrant white flowers.

[Palm crazy]

Al, as far as I know it is only hardy to West coast zones 7 to 10 and 7 to 9 on East coast. It might do good in higher elevation in HI.
Cardiocrinum giganteum is the largest lily in the world and is valued for its large size flowers and dried seedpods. They are a great tropical looking temperate perennial.

I'll post some pic for yea when it gets ready to bloom this summer. When in bloom they only grow 8' to 9' tall for me and are sweetly fragrant.

Edited by Palm crazy, 07 May 2012 - 09:13 AM.

[Palm crazy]

You also might want to try....Lilium wallichianum, which is a late bloomer and hardy to zone 8+.
Here's a painting of one from the late artist Marianne North during her stay in India, 1877-79.

[Palm crazy]

Update on the flower progress.

Fragrance is nice and sweet.

[Palm crazy]

Last few.







Will be a few more years before the babes bloom.