Crinums - anyone?

Alrighty - let the sharing begin!!! Did a trade w/a wonderful DGer in Hawaii and generously sent a couple extras of noid crinum bulbs - size of a walnut. Bloom will be white and fragrant - might be: http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/93829/
Please dmail me if interested...first come - first serve...LOL ^_^
NOTE: these would not be hardy here...

I would be interested in one.

Chantell, Don't they get big?

I'm sure they do - but no bigger then the pot they're put in - much like others. I hope no one feels like I'm pushing them on anyone just simply wanted to share if anyone's interested. Again though - please dmail me if you are.

I would have probably said yes but I think I will be getting some spider lily from my FIL's house. The one he has isn't real big 2-3 ft but it is planted in a confined area. My first thought when you offered was of the "huge" beautiful crinum at the the Rawlings Conservatory. It is just gorgeous but it's really big that was why I asked.

I have one in a pot that I carry in and out every year and it is beautiful when it blooms and smells terrific.......I would say I would take one but the one I have is white also........They arn't hardy here in my zone.....

blue do you know which one you have??? And how do you overwinter it i.e. let it go dormant, semi-dormant or just "keep it going?"

I don't know which one I have...Only know it is white with a little pink in the eye.......I leave it in its pot and carry it in in the fall....Just leave it die off by stopping watering...put it in the basement in the cold.... Trying to do as close to nature as I can.....Then bring up in the spring....If pot is too full I put in another pot with new soil.......and give it some Miracle grow....I have only transplated in another pot once........and it has bloomed for me after the first couple years......

Arrrrghhh, Crinums! I've got Crinum powellii http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/446/ in the gardens here and wish I'd realized how big it was going to get! One of the three we planted needed to be moved a couple of years ago. I tried to dig it up but the darned bulb has to be at least the size of a basketball and it wouldn't budge :( It really is beautiful but it just doesn't belong where it's planted. If any strong person wants it, c'mon down, it's free for the digging! LOL

Hmmm - it's hardy IN the ground down there, for you? Course now I'm wondering about my choice of spots for one in my little flower bed out front...LOL. This one's from TX & I wanted to make sure I put her in a place that would stay warmer then the rest of the yard come fall/winter.

Yup, "in the ground"...it's one of the hardiest Crinums and PF is wrong...it can be grown as far north as Zone 6! http://www.floridata.com/ref/C/crin_xpo.cfm I couldn't remember how long we've had it until I found my comment from Nov/2004 in PF! LOL So...that would make it 7 years we've had it in the ground and it's never suffered any damage other than maybe a nipping from a late frost. I just wish it wasn't so #@&*!$ big so I could move it! It's happy enough where it is but I don't want it there, it's growing against a beautiful conifer and crowding it out :(

Ohhhh too many times I've looked at something a couple years later and said "Why? What possessed you to either put it there or want it at all?" Example - why did I feel I NEEDED yuccas???? I dig em up - must leave a bitty bit of tuber behind...I get another one growing! I've dug up more yuccas then anyone should in such a sm area.
Speaking of which...anyone in NEED of yuccas...they're getting dug and trashed here in the next 2 weeks...

This message was edited Aug 11, 2009 1:27 PM

Heh heh, as a former Floridian, I know how large crinums can get--resembling a palm tree before long. I surprised that they can live in zone 6a let alone get so big. You'd think if they live in Hawaii and Florida, they wouldn't take the chill. You could pot several of them in a large inexpensive terra cotta pot, put in garage or cellar in winter, and wait for them to bust the pot after a couple of years. Then you can decide whether to start over or, dare I say it, toss em. I've done that with agapanthas, crinums, cardamom, plants that can get out of control quickly in Z9, only now I'd love to have some of those agapanthas that were in such great supply at $5 a pot.

Several years ago I planted a crinum lily hoping that it would live through the winter and it did. I planted it in a raised planter against my house. During the winter it suffered some damage on the leaves from the freezing weather. In the spring I trimmed the damaged leaves and it bloomed and thrived.
Now it is about 4 years old and blooms for couple months but would love more shade during the summer. I also have several elephant ears that have thrived with the crinum.. So I am very happy with that bed. In the fall I fill the bed to the top with shedded leaves and they all make it for another year. I also planted one in my place on the Eastern shore. That one is also planted in a raised bed and survived the winter without protection other than the fence and a gigantic climbing rose bush ( new dawn ) that almost covers the whole fence...

RCN, Do you have a photo of your Crinum? I might like to try a hardy one.

Orchidfancy, is yours also hugh?

I thought that I had a picture of it I would have to check in all of my pictures. it has a fragrance bothing spectacular.

Thanks!

Chantell : i would love to try one of your crinum. I have some at two different places They have done well for me so I think I would like to try another but this time i will plant it where it has some afternoon shade they dont seem to like a full day of sun unlis i am willing ti keep the hose dripping on them .... I had mine for 5 years and or more and they are doing extremely well and bloom for me at least for two to three month...

OF - got those back in Aug, I'm not sure what I have (if any) left...I'm actually heading out of town for a bit...maybe remind me next weekend - if you could.