Description

Crinums are tough, long-lived perennial bulbs with strappy leaves and fragrant, funnel-shaped flowers. In areas where the bulbs are hardy, (zones 5/6-10) these plants can reach as much as 4 feet across and bloom all summer. Crinums can live for 200-300 years in the South often found growing in cemeteries and abandoned home sites with little or no attention. The plants are native to southeast Asia often in areas with a summer monsoon and dry winter. They can also be grown as flowering summer patio plants. If growing as a potted plant and trying to overwinter, allowing the foliage to frost is ok, it will not kill the root system. However, do not allow the pot with rootball to freeze solid or go below 20 degrees for more than a few hours; move into a cold garage or basement over the winter with no watering. Cut back and allow to go dormant and place entire pot back out in April or May with a time-release fertilizer. During the growing season, fertilize, water regularly, and place in full sun. You may also plant these in the ground for an enormous tropical effect! It is easy to overwinter these in the ground in Kansas with mulch or no mulch! The trick is to plant them deep: an extra 4-6" deeper than grade or with neck of bulb completely buried. Crinums are extremely adaptable thriving in either in dry or in boggy soils. Crinums are tough, low maintenance bulbs which make them perfect for rain gardens, and although drought-tolerant, crinums bloom more if well-watered. Unlike southern climates, crinums in Kansas need full sun to grow and flower in our shorter growing season. Crinum are more cold hardy than most authorities publish; easily pushing into zone 5 for some varieties. In our trial gardens in Lawrence, KS (zone 6a), the following varieties survived after being mulched 6-12" with leaf mulch to -17 degrees F. (Crinum 'Infusion', Crinum tweedianum, Crinum 'Super Ellen', Crinum x powellii, Crinum 'White Prince') During the arctic blast of February, 2021, lows down to -17 degrees F on Feb 16th, 2021 were recorded. The longevity of this cold blast was also impressive: 10 days on a row with highs of 10-15 degrees F or lower, 8 nights of lows in the single digits and negatives, and 36 straight hours of 0 degrees F and mostly lower. No crinums were lost or harmed during this event! Crinum bulbispermum 'Orange River Basin' is a form of the extremely winter hardy (zone 5) Crinum bulbispermum from South Africa's Orange River area at around 9,000' elevation 'Orange River Basin' forms a lovely non-offsetting clump of glaucous blue foliage and white flowers with pink and magenta throat.