Hi Gang, Crinum x powellii 'Imperial Guard' is blooming for the second second time this season. I guess it is C x powellii. The first flowers arrived in late March or early April. This is a very nice C. x powellii-type that was sent to me by Andy Cabe. Andy knows its history; I think it is a found plant--as it increases at a gentle rate and as it is shared more maybe we'll get cold hardiness data for it. The flowers are held high (guessing 30 inches) and are magenta pink (not as dark as Ellen Bosanquet). Unlike so many powellii-types the flowers have good size (not gigantic, but good) and don't wilt by noon. Spring has been prolonged here, which is welcome. In the past few years we've had a few days of spring and then summer hit hard in early April. I don't know if we've even reached 90 F yet (32 C). So, the early crinums have been especially beautiful. 'Imperial Guard' flowers lasted for 2 weeks or a bit more on the first scape. The foliage is not evergreen but tries to be, and was only knocked back at 23 F, not killed to the ground. LINK: Imperial Guard (A. Davis photo) http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/files/… Cordially, Joe Conroe TX
