Plant Library

Other Names:  Poison Bulb, Grand Crinum Lily, Spider Lily

Description:

A stunning addition to the landscape; strappy green foliage with burgundy variegation forms an attractive clump; showy clusters of spider-like, white flowers with red anthers and stalks, emerge year round; will tolerate some shade, and occasional wet soil

Ornamental Features

Red Giant Crinum Lily features showy clusters of fragrant white spider-like flowers with cherry red anthers rising above the foliage from mid to early winter. Its attractive large sword-like leaves remain green in color with showy burgundy variegation throughout the year. The cherry red stems are very colorful and add to the overall interest of the plant.

Landscape Attributes

Red Giant Crinum Lily is an herbaceous evergreen perennial with a shapely form and gracefully arching foliage. Its wonderfully bold, coarse texture can be very effective in a balanced garden composition.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season. It is a good choice for attracting bees and butterflies to your yard. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

• Insects

Red Giant Crinum Lily is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Mass Planting
• General Garden Use
• Naturalizing And Woodland Gardens
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Red Giant Crinum Lily will grow to be about 6 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 6 feet. Its foliage tends to remain dense right to the ground, not requiring facer plants in front. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years. As an evegreen perennial, this plant will typically keep its form and foliage year-round.

This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It is quite adaptable, prefering to grow in average to wet conditions, and will even tolerate some standing water. It may require supplemental watering during periods of drought or extended heat. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in rich soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This species is not originally from North America, and parts of it are known to be toxic to humans and animals, so care should be exercised in planting it around children and pets. It can be propagated by multiplication of the underground bulbs.

Red Giant Crinum Lily is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. Because of its height, it is often used as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.