Blood Lily

I've a BloodLily question...I'm here in zone7... I know to dig these up and await spring for planting these. ... they are so lovely... last spring I also planted a few in a planter inside on the window sill.. now the leaves are 18" tall and so healthy..
should I be digging these up also.. or will they just flower come spring as part of this big green plant.. and if I have to dig them... should I let it dry out after digging them or can I just lop off the green growth and store the bulbs... Thanks Gordon

i am answering only to keep this near the top as i hope someone answers you. i am zone 8a. can blood lilies stay outside in my zone? and if not i was planning on keeping mine in a pot thru the winter as well. barb

I've read that they should be treated similar to amaryllis, but I have'nt grown them and am not sure. I would think that the healthy green leaves should stay on as long as possible to charge the bulbs for the next blooms. Can you pot them and allow the foliage to grow indoors? I think once they start showing signs of going dormant they could be allowed to dry out till spring.

Hope someone with experience comes along with sure answers; I'd love to have blood lilies for my tropical garden.

Good luck,
Neal

Sorry, Gordon,, Barb & Neal don't have an answer. Mine are inground year round. For some reason my greens are particularly gorgeous this year. I just wanted to comment on what a cool looking plant this is. Don't you just hate the "no info" postings?lol

I'm in 8a, and the blood lilies around here stay in the ground. They have them for sale right now at Calloways. Calloways got them from 'The southern bulb co.'

I'm pretty sure they are very similar in care to lycoris radiata(which was also for sale on the same endcap).

I would think that they'd be just fine in zone 7, if you planted as deeply as you are supposed to, and mulched over the top.

As for the foliage, you definitely want to not disturb them while green. Let the foliage die back naturally, or you won't get any blooms...especially if you are transplanting them from their current spot.

If you have enough of them, I'd think it best to dig a couple, and leave a couple. That way you know without too much risk of loss.

I've found many things in my garden have tested mluch hardier than touted.
-T

OK... the ones outside here...are still full and green..although thiswillchandewith the first frosts which have yet to arrive..but then they will brown wiltand be lost to view..so I'm digging them...that's and easycall for me..
the ones inside in the windowsill container are also full and green ... will these also brown and look to go dormant
Vossner...gladto hear yours are also full and green.. so what will happen to yours... do you get enough cold there to knock them back to browning leaves ...and into dormancy.. Guess I'll dig them out of the jasmine and redo the container... Thanks Alll Gordon

yes, they will completely disappear as soon as we have temps in the 30s and then I won't see any action til late summer. But they have never been so lush and green at this time of year--usually beginning to look ratty by now.

hey, seedpicker............you are talking about the african variety, right? how cool if i could put them in the ground. and is that sale at calloways a "good" sale? lol.

Mine too have been the lushest ever. I was almost going to get rid of them as I didnt see what the deal was with about a weeks worth of bloom. WELLL...now after this year...I would plant them for the foiliage and stem alone.

Barb-
They are five for $20 right now, which seems cheaper than most places online. The manager told me they'll go down further if they don't sell out of them, soon.
-T

Ooooh, does Calloway's take phone orders!?

Robert.

What are you calling blood lily? Southern Bulb Co sells lycoris radiata, a red St Joseph's Lily (amaryllis), and oxblood lilies. That's all red they sell. At this point in time I'm real familiar with what they are selling.....just confused here. Need botanical name.

Football Lily, African Blood Lily, Powderpuff Lily
Scadoxus multiflorus

That's what I thought you were talking about--but Southern Bulb Company does not sell them:
http://www.southernbulbs.com/servlet/StoreFront

Interesting that Calloway's is putting someone else's bulbs in their displays......

Well... they are dug...and a waiting spring... usually I check the bulbs and croms at one point in the late winter...and throw out anything looking of rot.. or shriveled up too dry..and usually think it's time to get them into pots or risk loosing more... this is often a bit too early... but they grow out nicely under the HID lighting.. they just have to wait a bit longer than they might like.. I did find a spot that's a bit cooler than I'd been ble to find before.. under a bathroom builtin cabinet there's a vent to the roof.. this area might make things a bit less dramatic for them.. allowing a softer cooler rest...
thanks Gordon

Calloways did not put someone else's bulbs in the Southern Bulbs Bin. I was referring to oxblood lilies. I didn't realize blood lily, and oxblood lily were two different bulbs.
My apologies.
oxblood:
http://www.southernbulbs.com/servlet/Detail?no=8

Are the Oxbloods 5 for $20 !!!!????????

OMG

Robert.

yes...

What was that phone number...........?

Will d-mail you. They don't do mail-order.
-T

I visited my friend's farm yesterday and her blood lily greens were incredible, almost 4 ft tall. It was too dark to take pics, otherwise I would have. She's had them a while, so I don't know if that explains the size. She also was amazed at how luscious her greens were this year. She said her blooms this year were red balls the size of cantaloupes--can you believe that????? That's why I love her so, she is such a fantastic gardener!