What month does the giant crinum lily bloom? What months are the flowering season of the giant crinum lily?
The giant crinum lily, also known as Wenzhu lily, Eighteen Scholars, and Cuidi flower, is a plant of the genus Crinum in the Amaryllidaceae family. The name "Wenzhu lily" may lead people to mistake this variety for an orchid, but in fact it is a perennial robust herbaceous plant of the Amaryllidaceae family. So what month does the giant crinum lily bloom? What months are the flowering season of the giant crinum lily?
According to experienced giant crinum lily growers, the flowering season of the giant crinum lily is from June to August.
Growth habits
The giant crinum lily prefers a warm, humid environment with ample light and fertile sandy loam; it is not cold-tolerant but tolerates saline-alkaline soil. During the seedling stage, however, it should be kept away from strong direct sunlight. The suitable growth temperature is 15-20°C. During the winter bulb dormancy period, the suitable storage temperature is around 8°C.
For pot cultivation, a sandy culture soil with high humus content, loose fertility and strong permeability is preferable.
Distribution range
The giant crinum lily is native to Indonesia, Sumatra and elsewhere. It is cultivated in the tropical and subtropical provinces of southern China, but is grown especially abundantly in Xishuangbanna, Yunnan Province, because the Dai people in that region universally follow Theravada Buddhism, and nearly every village has a Buddhist temple. The giant crinum lily is designated by Buddhist temples as one of the "Five Trees and Six Flowers" (that is, the five kinds of trees and six kinds of 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, Yunnan and other places.
Planting methods
In summer, provide ample water to keep the potting soil moist; apply a dilute liquid fertilizer once a week, and apply superphosphate once before the flower scape emerges. After flowering, promptly cut off the flower stalk. From March to April, plant the bulbs in 20-25 cm pots, not too shallow, with the bulbs just covered, then water thoroughly and place in a shaded spot. Ground-planted giant 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.
Propagation is commonly done by division and by seed.
Division propagation
Division can be done in spring or autumn, preferably in spring when repotting. Turn the mother plant out of the pot, peel off the surrounding bulbs, and plant them separately.
Seed propagation
March to April is preferable. In northern regions, artificial pollination is needed, otherwise seeds do not set easily. The seeds have high water content, so it is best to sow them immediately after harvest. Sow them in shallow pots by the dotting method, cover with about 2 cm of soil, water thoroughly, and keep at 16-22°C with moderate moisture, not too wet; germination occurs after about 2 weeks. When the seedlings grow 2-3 true leaves, they can be transplanted into small pots. They can flower after 3-4 years of cultivation.
Key management points
1. Large pots and deep planting. To meet the nutrients needed during the growth of the giant crinum lily, choose a larger flower pot and plant deeply during cultivation, so as to retain water and soil and support root development.
2. Water and fertilizer management. During the normal growth period of the giant crinum lily, from May to September, water an appropriate amount every day, following the principle of watering when dry and stopping when wet. Every 7 to 10 days, apply once a fertilizer solution made by fermenting oil cake residue plus black alum (ferrous sulfate); its concentration should go from dilute to concentrated, and application should stop in winter.
3. Remove offshoots. During the vigorous growth period, the giant crinum lily constantly produces offshoots around the rhizome. To ensure an upright plant shape, neat rhizome and normal growth of the whole plant, promptly remove the offshoots.
4. Sunlight and shading. To keep the leaves green, attractive and neat without affecting light exposure, provide appropriate shading for the giant crinum lily during the intense heat of midsummer: from 7 a.m. to 12 noon it should receive full sun, and from 12 noon to 3 p.m. a shade frame should be set up for shading.
Indoor management
In northern China, the giant crinum lily is always grown in pots. In early September or late October, when the temperature drops to 8°C, move the potted plant indoors and place it in a dry spot at about 10°C, without watering, and stop fertilizing. Once it suffers cold damage, it is very hard to recover; if the room temperature is below 6°C and the potting soil is too wet, it will rot from the ground level and die. Therefore, when bringing it indoors, place it in a bright spot, do not let the potting soil become too wet, and if the air humidity is too low, spray water to wash the leaves and improve air humidity.
Care methods
1. Cool down and increase humidity in summer. The giant crinum lily fears scorching sun exposure in summer, so after summer arrives, move the plant to a shade shed or a north-facing balcony for care, and frequently sprinkle water on the ground to create a cool, humid micro-environment.
2. Water frequently during the growth period. In spring, water once every 1-2 days; in summer, water once every evening; after autumn begins, reduce watering; in winter, strictly control watering (generally water once about every 2 weeks).
3. Do a good job of keeping warm in winter. In northern regions, move the plant indoors in early October; in southern regions, move it indoors in early November, place it in a sunny spot, and keep the temperature between 8-10°C so it can overwinter.