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karen__w

Crinum 'Sangria'

karen__w z7 NC
15 years ago

I picked up one of these at BB this spring and have the perfect spot for it but am afraid it might get too big. I'm half tempted to do it anyway and just deal with it later, but if anybody's got one that's 6 feet tall please tell me now and save me the backache.

Comments (10)

  • trianglejohn
    15 years ago

    Most of the ones I've seen were planted in pots and not in the ground and none of them were 6 feet tall, maybe 4, maybe a little more than 4 but not 6. They were as big as any of the crinums. I guess with a large pot and a tall stake to hold up the bloom spike you might get that tall but none of the ones I've seen were.

  • alicia7b
    15 years ago

    Scott Odgen's book claims that this crinum is slow to increase.

  • bubba62
    15 years ago

    Mine is in its third year growing in the ground, and it's about 2' high and across. It's a hybrid of bulbispermum and procerum, I think. Neither of these has much of a tendency to offset, reproducing instead via seeds, so the eventual width of the clump will probably be manageable, although mine has formed a few side growths. My procerum splendens (greenhoused in winter) is about 5' tall now (it's one of the varieties that forms a sort of "trunk"), but bulbispermums top out here at at 2' or so, except in bloom, so I wouldn't expect 'Sangria' to become massive. If you want similar red, strappy leaves on a smaller plant, you might try Eucomis "Sparkling Burgundy" or "Oakhurst".

  • karen__w z7 NC
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Thanks all, still mulling this one over. The Eucomis is a good idea as a foliage alternative and I have some I could move, but I'm not sure I'd like the eucomis bloom in that spot. Two feet would be manageable, but 4' would be too much.

  • gnomey
    15 years ago

    I have crinums, but I am not sure of the variety. This year I tried to dig them to share and broke a pitchfork in the process. The bulbs I did get out of the ground were large, with the biggest one being about the size of my 3 year old son's head. Mine are also 4 feet tall. I'd have to say if your variety is anything like mine, be sure you put it where you want it to save your pitchfork (and back) later.

  • alicia7b
    15 years ago

    Karen did you see this? Plant Delights link

  • karen__w z7 NC
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Alicia, I did see that. At first it made me think I could use it in this spot, then it gave me pause as I considered whether the plant I have might be the procerum 'Splendens' and get too big.

    I think I'm just going to go for it. It'll probably die and the only result of this exercise is that I'll have wasted huge amounts of time worrying about it. I find that success in my garden is frequently inversely related to the amount of time I fret over something.

  • bubba62
    15 years ago

    If it's procerum splendens, it most likely won't live through enough winters to become too big (unless you go to extreme lengths for winter protection, or our winters keep getting warmer and warmer.) One indication is the C. p. s. has very rigid leaves that stand out from the stem at about a 45 degree angle, while those of 'Sangria' are thinner and tend to grow straight up, then double back on themselves at about half their length.

  • alicia7b
    15 years ago

    It's true that the longer you ponder over where to plant something the higher the likelihood you'll have to move it later.

  • karen__w z7 NC
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Bubba, very helpful descriptions -- it sounds like mine is properly labeled as 'Sangria', so it goes in the ground today. Thanks.

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