Cardiocrinum giganteum

I need one of these . . .

http://www.dunngardens.org/spring/cardiocrinum_giganteum.html

Be sure to click the hyperlink that shows it in bloom.

It certainly is beautiful. Where would you put it? And how much are they?

I've got one in the garden and it's growing nicely. It might even bloom this year.

That is really a nice looking plant. Can it stay out all year?

It's perennial so it dies down.

Should have known you'd have one, growin'. :-)

So does it take 10 years to mature and bloom? Hope you get blossoms - it's so exotic looking.

I don't know how much they are - I just saw this one at Dunn Gardens. Might have to make a late spring visit.

lol. My friend had a few at his nursery from the previous year so planted it about 3-4 years ago. I hope it blooms. The pics I added are from VanDusen Botanical Gardens. My neighbour has one that is supposedly pink. Now that sounds hot! I think they look even better planted in a group.

Quite impressive - and to have a group . . . now there's impact.
Be sure to post if yours flowers.

Oh, I will. I'll be getting alot of pics at the botanical gardens this year. They have a forest of them at UBC Botanical Gardens - very cool!

Katie, I have 3 Cardiocrinum that are going to bloom this year. they're about 2 ft high right now. it usually takes 1 to 3 years if you buy a bulb. I pay $10 for one. I've seen them as high as $30. yes they are Deciduous. and Monocarpic. so when they bloom the whole thing dies. except for there will be some new bulbs beside the old one. even though it takes so long to flower, it is really spectacular when they do. there will be 10 more or less big white lily type flowers, with some fragrance. everyone that visits my garden exclaims, what is that? I must have one. when they are storing up enough energy to bloom they are a very nice plant. I've tried to get a succession of them blooming each year buy bying severel bulbs each year. I planted the seed from the one that bloomed in 06, I finally have some very small grass like baby Card. going. I heard that it takes 7 years to bloom from seedling stage. I guess I'll keep buying blubs and separating the bulbs after bloom. good luck with them, if you should decide to grow them. Jim

And if you find out who has them locally, please post. They have been hard to find around here...

Jim - that must be where I saw them as the name sounds very familiar to me. I'll look through my pictures of your place again . . . it is so nice (for us visitors) that you have most everything in your garden labeled. Dunn gardens could take a page from your book!!

I have heard that it takes quite awhile for them to bloom: 7-10 years. Growin and Jim: do you do anything special to overwinter them?

And where do you get your bulbs?

Mine is actually planted under a small evergreen Rhodo which wasn't a smart move. I don't do anything to mine.

I love that don't do anything to protect kinda plant . .

Cardiocrinum Gia is available at Wells Medina for 14.95 1gal. I got one for you Pixy for your gift saturday. So don't rush out and buy one.

Katie, the longest it took to bloom for me was 3 years, from bulb stage in 1 gal pot. I know the seed takes 7 to 10 year, 1 or 2 to germinate. then on average 7 to bloom size. i was buying the bulbs from Naylor Creek or Forest Farm. but I didn't check with NC early enough and now they're out. I haven't checked FF this year. so your on your own. I should have some bloom next year, because the plants are looking good. they take some added compost and I add some fertilizer in the spring, Jim

Wahoo! I just checked my plant and it's starting to show a spike/spire. I'm all excited now.

Thanks, Jim. I'll check Forest Farm and see if I can't get a jump on the several year wait. Growin' I'm excited for you. And you, too, Pix. Nice idea for a gift, Steve. Have fun you guys!!

The other thought is UBC Botanical Garden is having it's annual plant sale on Sunday (tomorrow) and I'm sure they'd have a few. Problem is getting all the stuff you buy back across the border.

Steve - where at Wells? I was just there mid-week & did not see any. Rats!..and they're probably gone now...

I didn't even see this thread until tonight! So the Cardiocrinum was a complete surprise and if I had known you better I would have had to hug you! It was so thoughtful of you to bring me one. I've wanted one ever since I saw them at Heronswood.

Kathy I had to ask the big guy behind the desk who knows all of the stuff there. He took me out to them in the shade garden perenials and there were about 10-1 gallons there. Though I had a strange experience after asking for several rare plants. 3 women bought all of the other plants that I asked for. Maybe they got all the Cardiocrinum they had. It is tough being a leader where everyone wants what I get. LOL I only bought 3 things and they followed by buying the same. Kind of weird.

It must be your magnetic personality and your air of authority.

I must confess I watch the purchases of those who appear knowledgeable at the nursery.l Just don't want to miss out on anything unique.

Kate (Katye) is the one who works by Wells Medina and is there so often. I've never been, though I will get there this summer. And I will ask for the cardiocrinum!!

They didn't have many and at 14.95 I would spend the gas. Call first.

Oh, I'm sure if I don't find that I'll find something to feed my gardening hankering. ;-)

If there are any left I will buy them all. Well, 10 is pushing it.

Kayte, you punted, and missed the Volunteer Park Conservancy Sale on Saturday. Courting Frogs nursery had them there for $13, tax included. I scored one, which is now in my front yard semi-shade/semi-sun garden.

Since CF is a wholesale nursery, you could contact them to find out who they are selling to. www.courtingfrogs.com. If you talk to Jerry tell him Rob says hi.

I took this pic at UBC Botanical Garden yesterday. A large bed of plants with quite a few starting to bloom.

growin, looking good!!!!, I know I'm getting to be a cardiocrinum junkee, Jim

I cannot be a Card junkie living in zone 4. So I shall visit all of your blooming specimens.

Katie - scored 2 in gallon-size pots today at Wells. Let me know if you want one.
Had a fun but quick trip around the nursery with Gordon. He was able to get some cool stuff for the bog garden. We zigged & zagged, forgot where the wagon was, then zipped around retracing our pathways to find it.
Happy dance for me: I was talking to Gordon and turned to scan the tables - right there next to my hand was an Impatiens omeiensis! Heehee! - it now resides with me.
Has anyone seen any Viburnum carlesii? They may still be in bloom, which means they're more scarce. I am looking for a 3 - 5 gal. pot, or, B & B. Thx!

Growin' what a great picture. I can't even imagine how crazy exotic that's going to look when they start blooming. And, Jim, that will be an added draw to your garden. I can think of worse things to be addicted to. :-)

Kate - thanks!! And thanks, Steve, for the tip. Kate, I'm sure that impatiens was just waiting for you. It was meant to be. The viburnum is awesome - fragrant?

I think Katie 59 is out of space Katye. (I have to ID you guys that way) She has been collecting everything everywhere but has filled her spaces. Right?

who me? or her? What?
There's ALWAYS space. But for another tree...hmmm, thinking hard about that..

Yes - V. carlesii is uber-fragrant. Another "smell-good".

Nice try, Steve. :-)

Lotsa space in this 1+ acre. I just gotta clear out some more salmon-berry. LOL.

Get a goat or rent one Kathy. Likes to make good fertilizer for the next bed. Then you have room. Especially when the goat gets off the leash. LOL

Clear out salmon berry? You need to trade it off, Katie! There are those of us suburban dwellers that actually want the stuff!

And don't think I haven't thought of goats. I love them, it's just that "indescriminate" eating they do ("No, don't touch the hostas . . . "). And they really s___ at getting out the roots, LOL.

AD, another one of you that likes salmonberry. It is pretty, I just have too much and my environment is too good for it. I will dig for you as much of that as you'd like to have. And the thimbleberry, and the Indian plum, if you want some. More than happy. Just let me know!!

I actually have Salmonberry, but I would glady take both indian plum and thimbleberry for my yard. And if you have any Pacific Crab Apple, I would take that, too. All I am doing is trying to get the birds to like my yard better.

Chickadees, starlings, robins and house sparrows are about all I get. I would love to get a few more species in my yard, say a sharp shinned hawk with an eye for starlings, some cross bills, rosy finches, and some kinglets would rule.

Okay. I'll get some of each for you. I don't have Crab Apple or Dogwood, but am working on that (have three bare root sticks of Pacific Dogwood from a native plant sale this spring that are showing life). I do have another native: american cranberry bush (also in stick form from the plant sale, but it looks pretty happy). It's actually a viburnum:viburnum trilobum. Let me know if you want one.