The Orange River Lily…

Isn’t orange.  The name comes from the Orange River, the longest river in South Africa. This species of Crinum grows along it’s banks. Like most wild things, each one is different. We grow big flowering strains as well as our own selection, ‘Aurora Glorialis’ which opens green, fades to lite pink and then to rich…

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Where Do You Grow Crinum?

Let’s build a Crinum map together!   Send pictures of your crinum lilies.  In the email subject line please type your city and state.   (Send your town even if you don’t have pictures). We’ll mark your town and post the picture to our map of Crinum Lovers!  (Don’t worry, we won’t post your name or address…

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Plant Evaluation — Selecting New Crinum Varieties

I’m a tough critic when it comes to plants, especially when evaluating plants we’ll sell or share or use in gardens, streetscapes or bioswales.  Nothing floppy, nothing wimpy, nothing that doesn’t make a great all around garden plant makes the cut. Because I know their potential well,  having grown them since the 70’s I’m especially…

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My First Crinum Lily is About 75 Years Old

After tons of delicate spring flowers, I’m ready for some bold color and big textures.  Every year, I feel the same. In garden design, I always seek contrasting textures— which is kind of tough in spring since we have lots of new, tiny leaves and delicate flowers. Crinum bulbispermum is pushing into flower this second…

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Dreams of Milk and Wine aka Crinum x herbertii

A friend visited last weekend.  He woke up in the night and wrote this little poem: “Milk and Wine,” the old man said. “It’s all I drink these days. Clarity of purpose, strength of bone.” “A strange request,” the waiter said. “But noble, and will do.” And he went over to the bar, to pour…

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