Crinums
Did you see the article in the July 2010 issue of Southern Living on Crinums? My mom had a clump of pass along Crinums on her farm and I always loved them. After reading the article, I decided that Crinums were a plant that I needed in my yard.
I ordered my Crinums from Lush Life Gardens. I was impressed with how quickly they arrived, the personal note on the invoice from the owner, and how beautifully they were packaged.
“I’ve heard folks say, ‘I’ve sprayed them with Roundup and run over them with my lawn mower, but I can’t get rid of them,’ ” says South Carolina grower Jenks Farmer. Mississippi radio personality Felder Rushing recalls extracting his first crinums from the ground outside a tavern in Jackson. “I had to dig through 6 inches of broken beer bottles to get those bulbs,” he recollects. Twenty years later, they bloom freely in his garden.
Given the obvious merits of crinums, why did they fall from favor? Greg traces the decline to the ascent of the Dutch bulb industry, as crinums didn’t grow well in Europe. Plus, established crinums are hard to transplant. Old bulbs can weigh more than 20 pounds. (But most bulbs you buy weigh 1 to 2 pounds.)
“I once dug up a clump in Allendale, South Carolina, that was the size of a big TV,” notes Jenks. “The bulbs were like small basketballs. We had to use a tractor.”
So far, my Crinums look like this:
Paula, I have never heard of crinums. And don’t you know I let my Southern Living subscription run out in March. Enjoy your last days of summer!
Great idea! I had not heard of them until I saw that article. I wonder how they would fare in Georgia? I might try the same. Thanks for the idea!
-Trish
Those are pretty. I know nothin! I would’ve thought they were some kind of lilly.
I had never heard of crinums either. They’re beautiful! I bet they don’t grow in Utah. Boo. Can’t wait to see how yours develop!