The cardiocrinum or Giant Himalayan Lily takes from 5-7 years to reach maturity. The flowering spike can be up to 10 feet in height. Ours have been between 5 - 7 feet. The flowers are enormous creamy trumpets with a pink flush.
After flowering the bulb dies but produces offsets and seedlings. Ours are at varying stages of maturity and we hope another one will flower this year. We bought ours at Cluny House Gardens where they can be seen in all their magnificence. http://www.clunyhousegardens.com/
Last years flower spike
The spike turned into this...
The seed head is a work of art.
Still working on the drop down menus. There's a couple don't work. Please bear with me......
ReplyDeleteHi Janet, just visiting from the picks section at Blotanical. I see we have both changed to the same template ... great minds think alike. Love the photos of the giant lilies and the macro of the seed head is wonderful.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing these... I have wondered about them in the catalog. They look like a time investment, but worth it! I will have to try them someday.
ReplyDeleteWhat a interesting and lovely plant to share...
ReplyDeleteHi Janet! What an interesting plant and very impressive! I saw it only once, in my neighborhood. The owner waited three years for her plant to bloom. It worth waiting! Thanks for the post and pictures!
ReplyDeleteThe seed head is a work of art. Can that be dried and preserved? Lovely photos!
ReplyDeleteWow, Janet... that seed head is worthy of a Dr Who appearance ;-)
ReplyDeleteWhat a very special plant. Never been to Cluny, really must get there this year. I understand it's a special garden too. When would be the best time to see this plant in flower there do you think?
Thanks for your favs on Blotanical... I'll stroll by there soon. I've been unlucky on my recent visits with pages not loading. I guess I should be telling Stuart and the team :-)
As I'm not a young 20 something anymore I feel 7 years is a long time to wait to get a flowering cardiocrinum. We have several bulbs at varying stages so hopefully one will flower every year. The first one I packaged up the seeds and gave away to friends. The second year I kept some where they were in the dried seed head(see photo)and scattered the rest in the garden. We visit Cluny in June for cardiocrinum, mecanopsis etc. Great for trilliums at the moment. I feel a visit coming on......
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