How to grow Chinese crinum lily? Detailed growing methods and precautions
The Chinese crinum lily is also known as wenzhu lan, luoqun dai, wenlan shu, and so on. Both its flowers and leaves are beautiful, giving it high ornamental value. It can be used as a decorative accent for green spaces in scenic gardens, campuses, and institutions, as well as for lawns in residential communities. It can also be used as a courtyard ornamental flower, or as a hedge around houses. Grown in pots, it can be placed at the entrances of formal conference halls, grand hotels, and banquet halls. Let us take a look below at the growing methods for the Chinese crinum lily!
Growth habits of the Chinese crinum lily
The Chinese crinum lily is native to Indonesia, Sumatra, and other places. It is cultivated in the tropical and subtropical provinces and regions of southern China, but it is grown especially abundantly in Xishuangbanna in Yunnan Province. It prefers a warm, humid environment with ample light and fertile sandy loam. It is not cold-tolerant but tolerates saline-alkaline soil. However, during the seedling stage it should be protected from strong direct sunlight. The suitable growing temperature is 15-20°C. In winter, during the bulb's dormant period, the suitable storage temperature is around 8°C.
Propagation methods for the Chinese crinum lily
1. Division: The Chinese crinum lily can be divided in spring or autumn, preferably in spring when repotting. Tip the mother plant out of the pot, peel off the bulbs around it, and plant them separately.
2. Sowing: Sowing the Chinese crinum lily is best done in March to April. Sow the seeds individually in a shallow pot, cover with about 2 cm of soil, and water thoroughly. At a temperature of 16-22°C, keep the soil moderately moist but not overly wet. Germination occurs after about 2 weeks.
Growing methods for the Chinese crinum lily
1. Soil: The Chinese crinum lily is not demanding about soil and tolerates saline-alkaline conditions. It grows better in soil rich in humus that is loose, fertile, and well-drained.
2. Watering: During the growing season, the Chinese crinum lily needs plenty of water. Keep the soil consistently moist, but do not let it become waterlogged. After autumn, reduce watering.
3. Sunlight: To keep the leaves of the Chinese crinum lily green, attractive, and neat without affecting light exposure, provide appropriate shade during the intense heat of midsummer.
4. Temperature: The Chinese crinum lily prefers warmth and is not cold-tolerant. The suitable growing temperature is 15-20°C. In winter it needs to overwinter indoors at no less than 5°C.
5. Fertilizing: The Chinese crinum lily likes fertilizer. Apply manure fertilizer 2-3 times per month as a top dressing, and add 2 additional applications of phosphorus fertilizer before and after flowering, which helps produce more flowers and prolong the flowering period.
6. Pruning: After flowering, if seeds are not wanted, cut off the flower stalk of the Chinese crinum lily, and remove old yellowed leaves at the same time.
Precautions for the Chinese crinum lily
1. In the hot summer, the Chinese crinum lily most fears the scorching sun. When this season arrives, move the plant to a shady area or a north-facing balcony for care. Always keep the ground sufficiently moist so that the environment stays dry, humid, and cool.
2. The Chinese crinum lily likes fertilizer, so when growing it, pay attention to frequent fertilizing. During the growing period, fertilize frequently with dilute fertilizer. In spring, mainly use nitrogen fertilizer; during the bud stage, switch to phosphorus and potassium fertilizer; in autumn, switch again to cake fertilizer, cycling about once every two weeks.
3. During the growing period of the Chinese crinum lily, pay attention to watering. The watering method differs across spring, summer, autumn, and winter. In spring, water almost once every day; in summer, water once every evening; from the beginning of autumn, reduce it; in winter, it must be strictly controlled, about once every two weeks.
4. Pay attention to keeping the Chinese crinum lily warm. In northern regions this is around October, while in southern regions it is relatively later. In November, the plant needs to be moved indoors, placed in a sunny spot, and kept at around 10°C to overwinter.