  |
|
|
|
Looking for something weird, whimsical and wild to give to a garden friend who has everything? How about Gloriosa superba? It's a sensational, well-behaved vining lily with flamboyantly colored 3 to 4 inch flowers produced from spring through late summer.
See http://ces.iisc.ernet.in/hpg/cesmg/pew/g...
Glory lilies sprout from odd, finger-shaped white tubers. Also known as climbing lilies, these slender, fast-growing bulbous plants produce lanceolate leaves. The leaves terminate in distinctive tendrils, which are used by the plant to attach itself to its host. In Florida, glory lilies perform best sited in locations receiving 4 to 6 hours of morning sun or in bright, dappled shade. Plants placed in full sun tend to become scorched. Since they prefer moist soil and cool root runs, consider placing the bulbs at the base of shrubs or small trees, or in a mixed bed where they can clamber among taller perennials. Pot grown specimens should be mulched. In Africa the wild forms grow in scrub areas intertwined with native grasses. Plant tubers in early spring, in a horizontal position, 3 to 4 inches deep in rich, organic soil. Give these heavy feeders ample water and fertilize twice monthly with manure tea and you will be rewarded with fabulous blooms. While vines typically grow 5 to 6 feet tall, they are quite capable of attaining heights up to 8 feet in optimum conditions. Leaves are opposite and alternate; my vines produce opposite leaves until they are about 3 feet tall when they switch to an alternate pattern. Spectacular frilled flowers emerge on long stems from the upper leaf axils. The emerging blossoms are an arresting combination of scarlet and primrose yellow. Over time, scarlet "flames" form and dramatically invade the now canary-colored base petals. The effect is stunning, reminiscent of the fine feathering of color found in parrot tulips. After pollination the entire flower (including stamens and style) blushes with color, finally melting into a glowing orange at maturity. Glorious, indeed! Flowers begin life facing downward, eventually becoming fully recurved like those of the turk's cap lily, Lilium lancifolium. The six-petaled blossoms have crimped edges, just like lasagna noodles. See http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/faculty/car... Unlike their recurved lily cousins who hold their stamens and style in a downward position, this exotic beauty ensures pollination by aligning its six stamens horizontally in a whorled pattern. Interestingly, the style abruptly bends 90 degrees to join the dance. Go To Page: 1 2 |
|
|
|
