The Crinum (kree-num) is from the Amaryllidaceae family. The name is from the Greek: (krinon) a lily.
It is classed as a semi-hardy, bulbous perennial. C. moorei (pronounced: moor-ree-ee) is named after Moore.
There is a cross between C. bulbispermum and C. moorei named after C. Baden-Powell who raised it in about 1855.
Crinum is a large genus of approximately a hundred or more species;Twenty- one or so species are found in Southern Africa. and more than half of all the species occur in Africa.
The foliage is set in two rows or in a rosette and can vary from broad and strap-shaped to long and very narrow.
The Crinum species occurs in the tropics of Africa, Asia and America. Crinums may be evergreen or winter and summer growing.
Crinum species regenerate leaves during the growing season from dormant leaf bases initiated in previous seasons but the exception is the beautiful C. moorei. The leaves of Crinum are truncated and end in a margin of old tissue; young leaves initiated during the current season have green tips. The flower is an umbel of one to many trumpet-shaped and sometimes bell-shaped flowers.They come in variable tones of white and different pinks.
C. moorei and C. nerinoides have a very sweet perfume; some of the other species boast a sickly smell. These include: C. bulbispermum and C. macowanii. The fruit is a capsule of unevenly- shaped fleshy seeds. They like to be in a permanent position and do not like being disturbed and this will affect their flowering. Be careful not to bruise or break the roots when they are being moved or repotted.
Many species require full sun or very slight shade but C. moorei will grow well in light shade.They also like to be well-fed and need to be fed regularly during the growing season. Use a well-rotted compost or give them a liquid feed. I use seaweed and fish emulsion on a regular basis. They will stand some water in the dormant period but the soil must be very
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