Truly. One of the loveliest of all Crinum…..The Dwarf Crinum.
I bought these lovely heirlooms a dew years back from a local garden shop. I had been told they were a mystery bulb. Apparently, the owner had dug the bulbs up from his old family ranch.
The first time I saw the heirloom crinum bloom, I was smitten.
These bulbs are very hard to find. My best guess is that they are known as a ‘Dwarf Crinum’ , which I found references to, though I am certainly no botanist. I have found only one source to buy more bulbs, but the seller had lost all their bulbs in a freeze. Am I the only grower of these lovelies? I sure hope not…..they are too wonderful of a flower to be so few in number.
The Dwarf Crinum thrive in dappled sun. They do live and bloom in full sun, but the blooms are short lived. I also make sure the bulbs are protected from a hard freeze. I mulch heavily in the winter. I did lose almost my full stash of bulbs in a freeze….but within a few years, I’m up to over 50 bulbs from the 4 that survived. I should have some available for sell in 2019.
The Dwarf Crinum grow by bulb, tuberous roots spreading out to new locations, and by little crinum bulbets (occasionally).
I absolutely adore this little beauty. She blooms single stems up to four blooms per stem. I can’t figure out why the variation….i suppose she is just like a woman, and has a right to change her mind about her blooms.
Happy Gardening, my friends!