How to Propagate the Red-flowered Crinum Lily? Master These Propagation Key Points
The red-flowered crinum lily (detailed introduction) has an elegant, pure fragrance and prefers a warm, humid environment with ample light. Today, people often grow red-flowered crinum lilies in pots and cultivate them in relatively spacious indoor spaces to accent their surroundings. Artificial propagation of the red-flowered crinum lily is mainly done by division, though seed sowing can also be used for propagation.
Red-flowered Crinum Lily
The red-flowered crinum lily is usually propagated by sowing and division. For sowing, it is best to sow immediately after harvest, using a sandy growing medium, maintaining 20°C to 25°C; germination takes about 2 weeks, and it takes 3 to 4 years of care to bloom. Because seeds do not easily mature under greenhouse pot cultivation conditions, and some species do not set seed, such as the red-flowered crinum lily, division is usually the primary method of propagation. In early spring or late autumn, in conjunction with repotting and changing the soil, separate the offsets that grow around the mother plant, being careful not to damage the roots, and plant them separately. Most offsets do not have roots, so they need to be treated with plain sand or vermiculite following the general method for softwood cuttings; in a warm, lightly shaded, humid environment, they root in about a month or more. After the cuttings have rooted and survived, first plant them in small pots with ordinary growing medium. Plant the seedlings not too shallowly, just so the bulb is not visible; in subsequent years, use fertiliser-enriched growing medium with some crushed hoof pieces or bone meal and other slow-release fertiliser placed underneath, and move them to larger pots for care. The red-flowered crinum lily has a strong root system and grows rapidly; during the growing period it requires ample water and fertiliser, keeping the potting soil and surrounding environment consistently warm and moist, while preventing waterlogging, and applying liquid fertiliser once every two weeks.
Crinum Lily Crinum asiaticum Crinum Lily Illustrated Guide: How to Grow Crinum Lily / How to Propagate Crinum Lily
Crinum Lily ProfileCrinum Lily Crinum asiaticum
Crinum Lily Growing Methods and Precautions An Introduction to the Crinum Lily
The crinum lily is a robust perennial herb of the genus Crinum, with a spherical bulb. It has 20-30 leaves, strap-shaped, 0.9-1.2 m long, with wavy edges and light green colour. The scape is erect, and 10-20 flowers form an umbel, emitting fragrance in the evening. The tepals are white and linear; the stamens are pale red, the anthers linear with acuminate tips, and the ovary spindle-shaped. The fruit is nearly spherical, 3-5 cm in diameter, usually containing 1 seed. It is mostly distributed in South China, often growing in coastal areas or sandy riversides. The leaves and roots are used medicinally to promote blood circulation and disperse stasis, and to reduce swelling and relieve pain; they can treat traumatic injuries, feverish headaches, and heat-toxin sores and swellings.
Morphological Characteristics of the Crinum Lily
A perennial bulbous herbaceous flower. The leaves are broad and thick, deep green year-round, up to more than 1 m long, with sharp tips, like a giant's green sword; the scape grows erect in all four seasons, about as tall as the leaves, but it mostly blooms only in summer and autumn, generally with 10 to 24 flowers clustered in an umbel at the top of the scape; each flower has 6 slender petals, purple-red in the middle and pink on the sides, spreading outward when in full bloom, even curving backward, as if doing its utmost to display its beauty and charm to people, and the fragrance is rich, drifting far, so it has always been deeply loved by people. The tepals are linear, white, with a delicate fragrance; the peak blooming period is in July. The capsule and seeds are large and green.
A robust perennial herb. The bulb is long-cylindrical. Leaves 20-30, in several rows, strap-shaped and lanceolate, up to 1 m long, 7-12 cm wide or wider, with acuminate tips bearing 1 acute point, wavy edges, dark green. The flower stem is erect, almost as long as the leaves; the umbel has 10-24 flowers; the spathe-like involucral bracts are lanceolate, 6-10 cm long, membranous; the bracteoles are narrowly linear, 3-7 cm long; the pedicels are 0.5-2.5 cm long; the flowers are salverform and fragrant; the perianth tube is slender, straight, 10 cm long, 1.5-2 mm in diameter, greenish-white; the tepals are linear, 4.5-9 cm long, 6-9 mm wide, narrowing toward the tip, white; the stamens are pale red, the filaments 4-5 cm long, the anthers linear with acuminate tips, 1.5 cm long or longer; the ovary is spindle-shaped, less than 2 cm long. The capsule is nearly spherical, 3-5 cm in diameter; usually with 1 seed. The flowering period is summer.
It prefers warmth and humidity, and is slightly shade-tolerant. It is salt-alkali tolerant. It is not cold-hardy, and in winter it needs to overwinter indoors at no less than 5°C.
The optimal growing temperature for the crinum lily is 15-20°C. It is not tolerant of blazing sun exposure but is somewhat shade-tolerant. In summer it needs to be placed under a shade shed; during the growing period it needs heavy fertiliser and water, especially before and after flowering and during the flowering period, when ample fertiliser and water are even more necessary.
Ecological Habits of the Crinum Lily
The crinum lily prefers a warm, humid environment with ample light and fertile sandy loam; it is not cold-hardy but tolerant of saline-alkali soil, though during the seedling stage it should avoid strong direct sunlight. The optimal growing temperature is 15-20°C; during the winter bulb dormancy period, the suitable storage temperature is around 8°C.
Variety Classification of the Crinum Lily
The crinum lily flower originated in Indonesia, Sumatra, and other places. It is cultivated in the tropical and subtropical provinces of southern China, but is cultivated especially abundantly in Xishuangbanna, Yunnan Province, because the Dai people in that region universally believe in Theravada Buddhism, and nearly every village has a Buddhist temple. The crinum lily is designated by Buddhist temples as one of the "Five Trees and Six Flowers" (that is, the five trees and six flowers that Buddhist scriptures stipulate must be planted in temples), so it is widely planted. It grows wild in riversides, village edges, and low-lying grassy areas, or is planted in courtyards. It is distributed in Fujian, Taiwan, China, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hunan, Sichuan, and other places.
It is distributed in Fujian, Taiwan, China, Guangdong, Guangxi, and other provinces and regions. It often grows in coastal areas or sandy riversides; it is now cultivated for ornamental purposes. The type specimen may have been collected from Hong Kong, China.
Uses and Purposes of the Crinum Lily
The crinum lily is beautiful in both flower and foliage and has high ornamental value. It can be used as an accent for the green spaces of garden scenic areas, school campuses, and government offices, and for the lawns of residential communities; it can also be used as a decorative flower for courtyards, and as a hedge around houses; if grown in pots, it can be placed in solemn conference halls, magnificent hotels, banquet hall entrances, and other places, where it is elegant and dignified, filling the hall with fragrance and delighting the eye. It can be used medicinally.
The leaves and bulbs are used medicinally to invigorate blood and disperse stasis, and to reduce swelling and relieve pain; they treat traumatic injuries, wind-heat headaches, heat-toxin sores and swellings, and other conditions.
Accidental ingestion of the crinum lily may cause abdominal pain, diarrhoea, and fever.
Cultivation Techniques for the Crinum Lily
In summer, provide ample water to keep the potting soil moist; apply dilute liquid fertiliser once a week, and before the scape emerges it is advisable to apply superphosphate once. After flowering, promptly cut off the flower stalks. In early September or late October, move the potted plants indoors and place them in a dry spot at around 10°C, with no watering and with fertiliser discontinued. It prefers humus-rich, loose, fertile, well-drained soil and is relatively tolerant of saline-alkali soil. In March to April, plant the bulbs in 20-25 cm pots, not too shallowly, just so the bulb is not visible; after planting, water thoroughly and place in a shaded spot. Ground-planted crinum lilies should be divided and replanted every 2-3 years to keep the plants robust and flowering profusely; otherwise, growth will be poor and flowering sparse.
Care Key Points
1. Large pot, deep planting. To meet the nutrients needed during the crinum lily's growing period, choose a relatively large flower pot and plant deeply, to help retain water and soil and support root development. 2. Water and fertiliser management. During the crinum lily's normal growth period, from May to September, water an appropriate amount daily, keeping it moist but not waterlogged. Every 7 to 10 days, apply once a fertiliser water made by fermenting oil cake residue plus black vitriol (ferrous sulfate); its concentration should start dilute and then become stronger, and application should stop when winter arrives.
3. Remove offshoots. During the crinum lily's vigorous growth period, offshoots always tend to grow around the rhizome; to ensure an upright plant shape, a tidy rhizome, and normal growth of the whole plant, the offshoots should be removed promptly.
4. Sunlight and shading. To keep the leaves emerald green, beautiful and tidy without affecting light exposure, during the intense heat of midsummer the crinum lily should be appropriately shaded: from 7 a.m. to 12 p.m. it should receive full sun, and from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. a shade shed should be set up for shade. There are about 100 or more species in the same genus. Commonly cultivated ones include the red-flowered crinum lily: flowers purple-red, native to Sumatra. The North American crinum lily: flowers white, leaves narrow, native to tropical Asia, growing wild in Guangdong and Hainan, China. It prefers warmth, is not cold-hardy, is somewhat shade-tolerant, prefers moisture, dislikes waterlogging, tolerates saline-alkali soil, and prefers well-drained fertile soil.
[Crinum Lily Aliases] Luoqundai, water banana, spider lily leaf, sea banana, white-flowered lycoris
[Source] It is the Amaryllidaceae plant Crinum asiaticum L. var. sinicum Bak. of the genus Crinum, with the leaves and bulbs used medicinally. It can be collected year-round, and is mostly used fresh or washed and sun-dried for later use.
[Source Morphology] A robust perennial herb. The bulb is thick and cylindrical. The stem is thick and fleshy, up to 1 m tall, about 10-15 cm in diameter at the base. The leaves are numerous, fleshy, tongue-shaped and lanceolate or strap-shaped and lanceolate, recurved and drooping, up to 1 m long, 7-12 cm wide or wider, with a grassy odour. In summer, erect fleshy scapes grow from the leaf axils, with an umbel at the top. The fruit is nearly spherical.
[Nature, Flavour, and Meridian Tropism] Pungent, cool. Slightly toxic.
[Functions and Indications] Promotes blood circulation and disperses stasis, reduces swelling and relieves pain. Used for pharyngitis, traumatic injuries, carbuncles, boils, and swellings, and snake bites.
[Usage and Dosage] 5-15 g; for external use, an appropriate amount, with fresh material pounded and applied to the affected area.
Warning
The whole plant is toxic, with the bulb being the most toxic; internal use should be undertaken with caution. Therefore, when used medicinally, medical advice must be strictly followed, and children and animals must be strictly prevented from ingesting it by mistake.
Poisoning symptoms: abdominal pain, first constipation, then severe diarrhoea, increased pulse rate, irregular breathing, and rising body temperature.
Rescue: In the early stage, gastric lavage may be performed, and strong tea or tannic acid taken; special attention should be paid to the occurrence of shock. White rice vinegar 4 liang and ginger juice 2 liang may also be used; for mild cases, hold it in the mouth, and for severe cases, take it orally.
[Excerpted from] "Compendium of National Chinese Herbal Medicines"
[Dai Medicine] Lilu (Xishuangbanna Dai): the whole plant is used for pharyngitis, traumatic injuries, carbuncles, boils, and swollen painful areas, and snake bites, in "Banna Dai Medicine," "Records of Yunnan Medicines," "Dai Medicine," and "Yunnan Provincial Gazetteer." Liluolong: treats sores, ulcers, and boils, and traumatic injuries, in "Dai Medicine." [Zhuang Medicine] Dajiao: the bulbs and leaves are used for scabies, unnamed swellings and toxins, urinary retention, traumatic swellings and pain, fractures, joint sprains, dislocations, crane-knee wind, and hyperthyroidism, in "Guangxi Medicine Compilation." [Maonan Medicine] Fama: same functions as Zhuang medicine, in "Guangxi Medicine Compilation." [Miao Medicine] Yangliemeng: same functions as Zhuang medicine, in "Guangxi Medicine Compilation." [Yao Medicine] Donghuan, Jiegonggun, Gongguan: same functions as Zhuang medicine, in "Guangxi Medicine Compilation." [Hani Medicine] Womian: the leaves, bark, and roots treat hepatitis, rheumatoid arthritis, and stomach pain, in "Hani Medicine." [Dong Medicine] Malong, Mal liongc: the whole plant mainly treats Beidao (fall injuries), in "Dong Medicine." [Jino Medicine] Xiaoqiaogumao: the leaves and bulbs treat pharyngitis, traumatic injuries, fractures, sores, boils, and swollen painful areas, and snake and insect bites, in "Jino Medicine."
Propagation Methods for the Crinum Lily
Division and sowing are commonly used for propagation.
1. Division propagation: Division can be done in spring and 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 propagation: March to April is preferable. In the north, artificial pollination is needed, otherwise it is not easy to set seed. The seeds have high water content, so it is best to sow immediately after harvest. Shallow pots can be used for spot sowing, covering with about 2 cm of soil, watering thoroughly, and keeping moderately moist at 16-22°C, not overly wet; germination occurs after about 2 weeks. When the seedlings grow 2-3 true leaves, they can be transplanted into small pots. After 3-4 years of cultivation, they can bloom.
Disease Control for the Crinum Lily
In high temperature and humidity, leaf spot and leaf blight easily occur on the leaves and leaf bases.
Management should be strengthened, diseased leaves removed promptly, and ventilation maintained. In the early stage of the disease, chemical control methods can be used.
Leaf Spot
When crinum lily leaf spot is severe, the plant becomes stunted and yellow or dies. The pathogen occurs on the leaves; the lesions are initially small brown spots surrounded by a faded halo, expanding into circular, elliptical, or irregular shapes, with dark brown edges and yellow-white to grey-brown centres; later, black granular bodies appear in the lesions, namely the pathogen's pycnidia. When the disease is severe, the lesions often merge into one patch, and the leaves wilt, dry up, and die. The pathogen is Macrophmina phaseoli Ashby, belonging to the Deuteromycotina, Coelomycetes, Sphaeropsidales, genus Sphaeropsis. The conidia are elliptical to club-shaped, slightly curved, 16-32 um x 5-10 um in size.
Occurrence: In the following spring, as warmth rises, the pathogen overwinters on the diseased plant residues, the pycnidia germinate, and infection begins. It generally invades and causes damage through wounds. Weak plant growth, excessively high temperature, high humidity, and poor ventilation are conducive to disease occurrence.
Control Methods
① Strengthen care and management, remove diseased and residual leaves, apply more phosphorus and potassium fertiliser, pay attention to reasonable watering, avoid moisture, and in the greenhouse ensure ventilation and light transmission, promoting robust plant growth and improving disease resistance.
② In the early stage of the disease, spray 75% chlorothalonil 500x solution, or 75% mancozeb 500x solution; after being moved into storage, spray 0.5% Bordeaux mixture or 50% carbendazim 1000x solution.
Crinum Lily Pictures
Ecological Habits of the Crinum Lily Care and Propagation Methods for the Crinum Lily
The crinum lily is a robust perennial herb with a spherical bulb. It has 20-30 leaves, strap-shaped, 0.9-1.2 m long, with wavy edges and light green colour. The scape is erect, and 10-20 flowers form an umbel, emitting fragrance in the evening. The tepals are white and linear; the stamens are pale red, the anthers linear with acuminate tips, and the ovary spindle-shaped. The fruit is nearly spherical, 3-5 cm in diameter, usually containing 1 seed. It is mostly distributed in South China, often growing in coastal areas or sandy riversides. The leaves and roots are used medicinally to promote blood circulation and disperse stasis, and to reduce swelling and relieve pain; they can treat traumatic injuries, feverish headaches, and heat-toxin sores and swellings.
Morphological Characteristics of the Crinum Lily
The crinum lily is a perennial bulbous herbaceous flower. The leaves are broad and thick, deep green year-round, up to more than 1 m long, with sharp tips, like a giant's green sword; the scape grows erect in all four seasons, about as tall as the leaves, but it mostly blooms only in summer and autumn, generally with 10 to 24 flowers clustered in an umbel at the top of the scape; each flower has 6 slender petals, purple-red in the middle and pink on the sides, spreading outward when in full bloom, even curving backward, as if doing its utmost to display its beauty and charm to people, and the fragrance is rich, drifting far, so it has always been deeply loved by people. The tepals are linear, white, with a delicate fragrance; the peak blooming period is in July. The capsule and seeds are large and green.
A robust perennial herb. The bulb is long-cylindrical. Leaves 20-30, in several rows, strap-shaped and lanceolate, up to 1 m long, 7-12 cm wide or wider, with acuminate tips bearing 1 acute point, wavy edges, dark green. The flower stem is erect, almost as long as the leaves; the umbel has 10-24 flowers; the spathe-like involucral bracts are lanceolate, 6-10 cm long, membranous; the bracteoles are narrowly linear, 3-7 cm long; the pedicels are 0.5-2.5 cm long; the flowers are salverform and fragrant; the perianth tube is slender, straight, 10 cm long, 1.5-2 mm in diameter, greenish-white; the tepals are linear, 4.5-9 cm long, 6-9 mm wide, narrowing toward the tip, white; the stamens are pale red, the filaments 4-5 cm long, the anthers linear with acuminate tips, 1.5 cm long or longer; the ovary is spindle-shaped, less than 2 cm long. The capsule is nearly spherical, 3-5 cm in diameter; usually with 1 seed. The flowering period is summer.
It prefers warmth and humidity, and is slightly shade-tolerant. It is salt-alkali tolerant. It is not cold-hardy, and in winter it needs to overwinter indoors at no less than 5°C.
The optimal growing temperature for the crinum lily is 15-20°C. It is not tolerant of blazing sun exposure but is somewhat shade-tolerant. In summer it needs to be placed under a shade shed; during the growing period it needs heavy fertiliser and water, especially before and after flowering and during the flowering period, when ample fertiliser and water are even more necessary.
Ecological Habits of the Crinum Lily
The crinum lily prefers a warm, humid environment with ample light and fertile sandy loam; it is not cold-hardy but tolerant of saline-alkali soil, though during the seedling stage it should avoid strong direct sunlight. The optimal growing temperature is 15-20°C; during the winter bulb dormancy period, the suitable storage temperature is around 8°C.
Cultivation Techniques for the Crinum Lily
In summer, provide ample water to keep the potting soil moist; apply dilute liquid fertiliser once a week, and before the scape emerges it is advisable to apply superphosphate once. After flowering, promptly cut off the flower stalks. In early September or late October, move the potted plants indoors and place them in a dry spot at around 10°C, with no watering and with fertiliser discontinued. It prefers humus-rich, loose, fertile, well-drained soil and is relatively tolerant of saline-alkali soil. In March to April, plant the bulbs in 20-25 cm pots, not too shallowly, just so the bulb is not visible; after planting, water thoroughly and place in a shaded spot. Ground-planted crinum lilies should be divided and replanted every 2-3 years to keep the plants robust and flowering profusely; otherwise, growth will be poor and flowering sparse.
Care Key Points
1. Large pot, deep planting. To meet the nutrients needed during the crinum lily's growing period, choose a relatively large flower pot and plant deeply, to help retain water and soil and support root development. 2. Water and fertiliser management. During the crinum lily's normal growth period, from May to September, water an appropriate amount daily, keeping it moist but not waterlogged. Every 7 to 10 days, apply once a fertiliser water made by fermenting oil cake residue plus black vitriol (ferrous sulfate); its concentration should start dilute and then become stronger, and application should stop when winter arrives.
3. Remove offshoots. During the crinum lily's vigorous growth period, offshoots always tend to grow around the rhizome; to ensure an upright plant shape, a tidy rhizome, and normal growth of the whole plant, the offshoots should be removed promptly.
4. Sunlight and shading. To keep the leaves emerald green, beautiful and tidy without affecting light exposure, during the intense heat of midsummer the crinum lily should be appropriately shaded: from 7 a.m. to 12 p.m. it should receive full sun, and from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. a shade shed should be set up for shade. There are about 100 or more species in the same genus. Commonly cultivated ones include the red-flowered crinum lily: flowers purple-red, native to Sumatra. The North American crinum lily: flowers white, leaves narrow, native to tropical Asia, growing wild in Guangdong and Hainan, China. It prefers warmth, is not cold-hardy, is somewhat shade-tolerant, prefers moisture, dislikes waterlogging, tolerates saline-alkali soil, and prefers well-drained fertile soil.
Propagation Methods for the Crinum Lily
Division and sowing are commonly used for propagation.
1. Division propagation: Division can be done in spring and 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 propagation: March to April is preferable. In the north, artificial pollination is needed, otherwise it is not easy to set seed. The seeds have high water content, so it is best to sow immediately after harvest. Shallow pots can be used for spot sowing, covering with about 2 cm of soil, watering thoroughly, and keeping moderately moist at 16-22°C, not overly wet; germination occurs after about 2 weeks. When the seedlings grow 2-3 true leaves, they can be transplanted into small pots. After 3-4 years of cultivation, they can bloom.
Uses and Purposes of the Crinum Lily
The crinum lily is beautiful in both flower and foliage and has high ornamental value. It can be used as an accent for the green spaces of garden scenic areas, school campuses, and government offices, and for the lawns of residential communities; it can also be used as a decorative flower for courtyards, and as a hedge around houses; if grown in pots, it can be placed in solemn conference halls, magnificent hotels, banquet hall entrances, and other places, where it is elegant and dignified, filling the hall with fragrance and delighting the eye. It can be used medicinally.
The leaves and bulbs are used medicinally to invigorate blood and disperse stasis, and to reduce swelling and relieve pain; they treat traumatic injuries, wind-heat headaches, heat-toxin sores and swellings, and other conditions.
Accidental ingestion of the crinum lily may cause abdominal pain, diarrhoea, and fever.
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