Crinums blooming
J.E. Shields (Sat, 02 Aug 2003 09:14:11 PDT)

Hi all,

Crinum variabile is in bloom outside my greenhouse. I've posted a picture
of it to the Bulbs_Images list on Yahoo groups. I grew my C. variabile
from seeds obtained from Silverhill Seeds in 1997. This is one of three
plants moved from pots into the ground outdoors in 2000. Only one of those
three is in bloom. Three more were moved into the open field in
2001. They have not bloomed yet, but all are alive and healthy.

Crinum variabile is the only crinum species native to the winter rainfall
region of South Africa. In habitat, it grows in winter and is dormant
through the hot, dry summer. This appears to be a facultative behavior,
since here is grows nicely in summer and goes dormant in winter, even if in
the greenhouse. This appears to also enable it to survive the winters
outdoors here in central Indiana. We do, however, cover the outdoor
crinums with about 6 inches of wood chips or bark mulch each autumn.

I see that there is a scape on Crinum lineare about to bloom too. C.
lineare is growing in a 5-gal. container and is watered in summer by a drip
irrigation system. I bought the bulbs of C. lineare from Charles Craib in
June 2001.

I'll post a picture of lineare to Bulbs_Images too, if the weather cooperates.

Regards,
Jim Shields
in central Indiana

*************************************************
Jim Shields USDA Zone 5 Shields Gardens, Ltd.
P.O. Box 92 WWW: http://www.shieldsgardens.com/
Westfield, Indiana 46074, USA
Tel. ++1-317-867-3344 or toll-free 1-866-449-3344 in USA
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