Can someone tell me why the crinium liy bulbs are so expensive?
Crinium Lilies
That's a question I have asked as well - Crinums grow like weeds here in NW Florida - every yard has a bunch of them - I guess it's one of those cases of 'because they can, they charge a mint' and because people will continue to pay the price. I see no other reason for the high cost of the bulbs!
Can't answer your question, Flower, but I paid $24 last year for a pot containing 2 bulbs at Plant Delights Nursery. A friend and I split the cost and the pot and mine increased so well that I had to divide it this year and was it ever prollific! I gave away a bulb, planted several here and replanted the original bulb and bulblets in Asheville. It's a beauty!
I know. They are probably my favorite type of lily and I can't get one. BOO HOO. I think they are a beautiful flower and I want one so bad. Oh well I will keep looking until I find one I can afford.
Check out BuggyCrazy's website hers are very reasonable!
hey Thanks I take a look .
An average bulb weighs about 8-10 pounds - it would cost a fortune to mail one!
I didn't really know the bulbs got that big. No wonder they are so high. I have found a couple that are reasonable so got my eye out LOL
My crinum bulbs are nowhere near 8-10 pounds! That sounds like a monster bulb!
There are different varities, but most of those in our area are the Crinum amoenum - huge bulbs with the big strap leaves and white frilly blooms - just gorgeous!
I think the largest I have heard about is 3lbs. But the one I have looked at to buy is only a 2 yr. old bulb so it isn't going to be anyways near that big.
I took this excerpt from a web site:
Crinum (Amaryllidaceae) is a large group of majestic true Southern lilies, some growing 8 feet tall. Large Crinum bulbs of certain cultivars may weigh 50 pounds.
http://www.ext.vt.edu/news/periodicals/commhort/2004-05/may2004.html
The ones I see in PCB lawns are well established, I'm sure - the plants and bulbs are very large. I was given permission to dig a plant - the outer (smaller) bulb I was finally able to free from the soil weighed around 5 pounds
Wow, Kay. Those are huge bulbs! I'm not sure those would be hardy to Zone 7. I'll have to check on that. Thanks for the info.
I don't think they are hardy in my zone 6 but I don't remember what I read. LOL getting old and the memory if fading LOL. I stll want some of them though.
Here is a site that has them for sale with free shipping:
http://www.stokestropicals.com/crinum-asiaticum.htm
Kay have you ever dealt with these people? I like to know a little about them if possible. Ratings even.
No, I've never dealt with them - I have only done online purchases of plants (bulbs) one time, from Brecks.
well I may have some bought. they are kind of small right now , figure they are young ones just taken from the mother bulb. says they are about the size of a quarter to a half dollar. I figured for the price they are about what I expected.
Hi,
I have purchased from Stokes Tropicals, and I was more than extremely impressed with the quick response and courtesy as well as the quality of the products. Although, my purchases were not crinum, they were bulbs and the bulbs were quite large with lots of pups attached. They were not dormant and most of the soil had been removed. They were packaged with extra care in a good sized box.
Quickly, after my order, they emailed me to inquire as to the safety of shipping in the winter. Since they are located 4 hours west of me and also on the Gulf Coast, I did not hesitate to agree to have them shipped now rather than waiting until spring.
When I opened the box, I was in awe!
Attached is an example of a crinum dug from my garden. It will give you an idea of why they are planted so deeply and how large they can get.
Hope this helps!
Ann
HSteacher, Thanks so much for the info,on both the bulb and Stokes. Now I have a question? I have never had crinum lilies b4 and so I'll need just a bit more info if you will please. You talked of how deeply buried they have to be, How deep is that? and how often should they be dug up and any bulblets removed to increase you lilies and put into different place should I want to?
Hi!
I plant them at least 8-12" deep, depending on the size of the bulb. The tiny offsets can be planted more shallow, but the soil underneath both the big ones and the little ones needs to be soft so that they can pull lthemselves down to the desired depth.
They are rarely dug up here, and they get really dense but still bloom. When they get huge and densely populated, it is very difficult to dig them without cutting some of them. But that's okay. They don't seem to mind it.
If you plant yours in the ground, you will have to dig them up before the ground freezes. Most are hardy to zone 8a, but I have been told that some are not quite that hardy and only hardy to zone 9.
If you are growing them in a pot, you will eventually need a very large pot and they do best if watered VERY often.
Have FUN!
Ann
Oh well about the digging up it seems like I have several that I have to dig up so a few more is not going to kill me LOL. I got some coming at last. They aren't big bulbs but it is a start. I got 12 of them . They are only about a quarter to half dollar size but I guess they will make it. Most bulbs do. I have never had a bulb to fail me.
Wow! You will enjoy them!
Crinum are very easy and forgiving bulbs AND they grow very fast, mulitplying like crazy.
Let us know how they do...
Ann
I will and hopefully this spring I can get pics to show everyone.
I'm new to them and trying them too.
They are a houseplant for winter.
I was inspired when I saw a dark form in a magazine...
cheerpeople , Are yours the actual lily looking ones or are they the spidery looking?
Flowerfantasy,
These are baby crinum. I'm not sure what you mean by spidery.
I'll give you the exact names-
maybe you can tell about the spidery part....
some of these names may not be registered:
crinum asiaticum
crinum asiaticum var procerum 'splendens'
crinum bayou pink beauty
crinum marcelle shephard red leaf seedling
crinum kitty clint
:)
the plain green leaf ones are not in the photo-
Karen
Well I don't know about those names you have listed there but what I mean by spidery is that they look a lot like a Cleome but not as heavily flowered as a Cleome, maybe a better word is feathery. It is hard to describe . I have 2 different types of crinum lilies. One that looks almost like a regular lily and the the other one I call spidery looking.
From what I can see of the names you have listed they most likely look similar to the regular lilies. I don't have pictures or I would send them and let you see the difference.
I think these have a white/pink regular flower. It will be a few years before they bloom I bet..:)
We'll have to compare notes as we grow these since we are both new to these and they are not winter hardy for either of us...I'm keeping them in well draining mix and very little watering.
Well mine hasn't got here yet but are on the way and I'll take a look at the bulbs when they get here and see if there is a difference in them and then after mine bloom I''ll try to get some pictures and send you some to see the spidery one. The regular type ones I am getting are white with a pinkish red throat and looks to be a pinkish stripe that runs down the petals of the flower.
PDN has lots of crinum. Some of the flower forms could be described as spidery.
http://www.plantdelights.com/Catalog/Current/page23.html
The very first one on their list when you look is like some that I have gotten and the the others that I have got are the White Queen.
Very nice! Hope they do well for you:-) I love the form of that first one, especially. Must be verrrrry careful, though...I live too close to PDN to go looking online very much. Too easy to order and pop over there, lol!
Yeah I went over there and looked and they are really cheap compared to the most I have seen for sale. It just amazes me at the price of most of them. I guess I have been lucky to get the ones I have for the price I gave. I got the regular type in the mail yesterday and they are hugh. I know that some people have said they get that way and bigger.
That would be a fun trip to go to some place like that.
I see the top listing has a 'spidery flower'
I'm sure it will be along time before I see a flower. Here they are last june in my cool climate garden.
How big does the bulb have to be before they bloom?
Karen
Well I think it would be great to go someplace like that to but I would have to drive a million miles . They just don't have stuff around here like that to go to.I don't know why Indiana doesn't have more of those type things around. I would love to go to a really nice Botanical Garden somewhere.
I am not sure about this as I can't remember exactly what I read about the lilies but I am thinking they like a lot of warmth and if you have them in a cool garden they might really be slow in growing and blooming. They are a tropical to start with and they like a little more warmth than most. As far as how big the bulbs have to be b4 blooming, I really don't know.
Well, flowerfantasy...if ya decide to drive a million miles, we have plenty to look at here. Touring PDN's gardens is free and will take at least all day to do it right:-) We're here for you, lol!
Well driving to NC wouldn't be that bad and if we can come up with enough money to make the trip we just might do that. I have been to NC b4 but only to Cherokee, and looked at all the shops they have there but it wasn't for flowers if you know what I mean LOL.
I will be hosting a round up in connection with one of the PDN open houses on July 18th. Great time to come and see the gardens in summer-hot there, but well worth it. You would be warmly (pun intended!) welcomed:-) The gardens are open on the oh weekends on Fridays through Sunday so come on down!! There's also the Raulston Arboretum, Duke Gardens in Durham and other tasty treats.
You will have to dmail me directions and I'll start saving my pennys LOL. it really wouldn't cost that much to drive down but the motel bill is what will cost. How far are you from Cherokee?