CRINUMS
Southerners have their little secrets, some of which they have kept for decades, if not centuries. One of those secrets is the crinum, also known as “angel lily,” “apostle lily,” “candystick lily,” Confederate lily,” “deep sea lily,” “milk-and-wine lily,” “peppermint lily” and “southern lily.” You can be sure that anything that has acquired a nickname containing the word “Confederate,” is dear to the hearts of traditionalists south of the Mason Dixon line.
That being said, crinums are egalitarian southerners, thriving with little attention in the gardens of flower lovers of all races, income levels and degrees of social pretension.
If you have never seen a crinum, start by imagining an amaryllis, with its tall stems and long, strap-like leaves. Add clusters of up to twenty trumpet-shaped flowers blooming at the tops of each stalk. The difference starts there. Amaryllis flowers face outward, while the elongated blossoms of the most popular heirloom crinums droop down gracefully. Amaryllis have little fragrance, whereas crinums are renowned for their scent. Crinum flowers are slightly more limited in color range, blooming in either white, shades of pink or red. The classic Crinum x herbertii, or milk-and-wine lily, is white with dark pink stripes.
The resemblance between crinums and amaryllis, known botanically as Hippeastrum, is only natural–the two genera are kissing cousins. Both are members of the large Amaryllidaceae family, a relationship that is evident when you compare the bulbs. A crinum bulb is large and round just like an amaryllis bulb. Amaryllis bulbs have short necks; crinums have longer ones. You plant them the same way, with the necks close to the surface. Both like sunny exposures and favor somewhat crowded conditions.
I have lusted over crinums for years, but decided that my love of the big, showy plants would just have to remain unrequited. I assumed because they have always been a southern staple, they would not be hardy in my northern New Jersey garden. Growing them in a large pot would mean another pot to lug inside in the winter, and I already have so many of those that my back seizes up automatically on October first. I had the same problem with beautiful blue agapanthus, but long ago I reconciled myself to the idea that life is not fair and there is a price to pay for the privilege of living in a kudzu-free climate.
But time marches on and things change. The new USDA zone hardiness map has put my garden right on the boundary between my old hardiness zone, 6b, and the warmer 7a. Steve Bender, author of the crinum chapter in the wonderful book Passalong Plants, lists the hardiness range for crinum as Zones 7-10. I am betting that if I plant crinums in a protected spot on my property, they can make it here, especially if I mulch them well in the winter.
Six weeks ago, I took the plunge and ordered a crinum bulb. The romance of southern plants has overtaken me this year for some reason and before the crinum even arrived, I went out and purchased a pink-flowered Camellia japonica. If someone puts an agapanthus in my path, I will probably buy that as well. Sometimes there is no stopping these cravings.
I ordered the classic Crinum x herbertii, with its red and white striped flowers. It is a hybrid, named after Dean Herbert, a prolific crinum hybridizer of the early nineteenth century. According to Steve Bender, hundreds of hybrids were bred in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries and the vast majority have been lost to commerce. The good news for modern gardeners is that crinums have undergone something of resurgence and breeders are producing new varieties and hybrids with great vigor, upward facing flowers and other desirable attributes.
The wonderful crinum website operated by Marcelle Shepherd and Margie Brown, www.marcellescrinums.com, notes that the word “crinum” is derived from the classical Greek word “krinin,” which means “lily. They are not true lilies, but they fulfill the same garden function–providing summer color and scent.
If you want to take the crinum plunge try Plant Delights Nursery, 9241 Sauls Road, Raleigh, NC 27603, (919)772-4794; www.plantdelights.com. Print catalog–10 first class stamps or 1 box of chocolates. Another good source is Marcelle’s Crinums, 440 Oak Lane,Vidor, Texas 77662; (409)769-3585; www.marcellescrinums.com.