Everlasting Lilies

Give Them a Little Love

Despite their determination to stay put, crinums are worth the effort. What other bulbs take sun or light shade, like wet or dry soil, bloom repeatedly from spring to fall, and live longer than Adam? Plant them in fall or spring, burying the bulbs up to their necks. They'll bloom quickly after soaking rains during the growing season. "When a flower fades, you can just snap it off, and new buds will keep opening up," adds Greg.

About the only factor limiting crinums is cold. Most hybrids do just fine from the Middle South on down. In more northern growing regions, stick with hardy crinum (Crinum bulbispermum), longneck crinum (C. moorei), and selections of C. x powellii. Mulching them in late fall provides extra insurance.