Crinum
Crinum is a genus of Amaryllidaceae consisting of over 130 species of which about 70 are found in Africa. Southern Africa is home to 21 of these species. All the Crinum listed are summer growing and most will need a definite drying-off period in winter. Crinum bulbispermum will take cold winters. In fact in its native habitat, C. bulbispermum is often covered in heavy frost and some light snows.
Many more species available on request.
Crinum macowanii - MacOwan's Crinum
These large bulbs can tolerate temperatures that go down to freezing. They can be grown in a 25 litre pot but do best as a feature plant. The leaves grow up to 1500mm in length. The flower stems are borne in quick succession and are often up to one metre tall. Older plants get up to 5 flower stems at about the same time. The flowers are lightly scented and are a bee-magnet. They produce copious amounts of seeds, but the weight of the seed pods makes the stems recline. Plant with the bulb completely buried under the soil. A good mulching does wonders for the bulb. They can be grown in full sun. Flowering is in very late winter to early spring, but occasionally flowers are produced in summer. The minimum size we sell is 110mm in circumference.
Crinum moorei - Forest Crinum
This is one of the earliest recorded Southern African species and it has never lost its appeal. Crinum moorei bears large white to dark pink flowers on tall stems. Many produce 2 or 3 stems in succession. If the seeds get fertilised, the weight pulls the stems down. The flower shape ranges from wide open and flexed to bell shaped. It is a greedy feeder and the reward is health and happiness for the plant. It prefers semi to full shade and plenty of water. Most go dormant for 4-6 weeks in early winter, but by middle to late winter, they are back in full leaf. Most flower in mid to late summer. The minimum size we sell is 175mm in circumference.
Crinum moorei "Alexandra's Price" (Variegated form)
Just over 20 years ago we found a single leaf of a chartreuse-red flowering variegated Crinum moorei. The stems are chartreuse-red, the flowers are the same colour, and the leaves are a magnificent variegated colour of white to pale yellow contrasted by green. It becomes dormant in winter, but after a few weeks (still in winter), the new leaves emerge. It produces a succession of medium length flowers in mid to late summer. The minimum size we sell is 155mm in circumference.
Crinum bulbispermum - Orange River Crinum
This is a frost and ice hardy bulb that often produces 4 or 5 stems in rapid succession. It enjoys copious amounts of water and is a greedy feeder. The leaves are a grey-green colour and the flower stems are up to 1200mm in length. The flowers range in colour from light red to an almost purple-red. Minimum size is 100mm in circumference.
Crinum asiaticum - Giant White Asian Crinum
This is currently my only non-South African bulb that I am offering. I grow them where they are subjected to temperatures of up to minus 3ยบC in winter. The bulbs are show-stoppers, evergreen, and the leaves are about 1m in length. An interesting point: The cultivated Crinum asiaticum growing on the tropical Natal coast do not do as well as my inland plants, so perhaps the cold winters are good for them. They are greedy feeders and enjoy getting flooded every 7-14 days. My plants produce flowers every 3-4 months and then up to 3-5 stems per flowering period. These are huge bulbs, the stems often reach one metre in height and with the curved leaves, a total of about 1500mm. Stems get up to about 300-450mm in circumference. The creamy-white flowers (up to 40-50 per stem) are spider-web shaped and are a spectacular sight to behold. Plants are 3 years old and will take about one year to settle in and then they should begin flowering. They can live for well over 75 years and slowly produce suckers.