Super easy crinum to grow. Long strappy leaves are probably the hardest thing about it...where do you site that? I like to put it behind a small shrub.
The plants may not flower first year (crinum can resent moving and re-planting) however, it will bloom with bright reddish/pink flowers and mine now bloom for about a month, one stalk after the other coming up. It is my favorite crinum. Plant it, forget it. It will grow! It just needs well drained soil but the soil can be moist, just not super dry.

If you have grown Amaryllis, the cultural requirements are very similar, since they are members of the same Family.

Plant in well drained soile, in full sun or a very bright partially shaded location. Amend the soile, if necessary, with compost, ground bark, milled peat moss, etc. and/or raise the planting area 4-5" to insure good drainage.

Plant the bulbs about 1ft. apart, with the pointed tip of the bulb facing up and is just below the soil level. After planting, soak the area thoroughly and add a light layer of mulch, if desired.

Foliage should emerge in the spring and flowers follow in the summer. Foliage will die back in the fall, do not remove the foliage until it turns yellow, since roots will form late in the growing season.

Water as needed, until the bulbs go dormant. During the rest period, very little moisture is required.

If you plan to grow them in pots, same cultural requirements, as above, is required, but I would plan to bring them indoors during the winter. I have lost a number of potted ones, over the years, when I left them outdoors during the winter, for various reasons. (Testing hardiness, forgetfulness, unmarked pots, etc.)

I don't presently have that variety. If I may inquire, what does L get for them? Single or multipack?
If reasonable, I might go out the way, to pick up a few, since there are no L stores near me or on my frequently traveled routes.

Thanks you two!! I had been seeing them on the forums and thought they were so pretty and when Lowes had them I thought I would try a couple. They had them for $9 for one bulb. Some of the bulbs were big and others kinda medium sized. Well they seemed big to me compared to other bulbs I have planted. They are in little cloth bags and already has stems coming up in them. They had this dark pink one that I purchased plus a white one and light pink one. I might try to go back this weekend and get some of the other colors.

Do you cut the stalk back after it blooms or just leave it? Thanks again for your help. Oh yeah, let me know if that price is too much for one bulb. Oh, I am trying my hand at Amaryllis this year too. I have two in my kitchen window waiting to put outside. Thanks, Judy

That is a fair price retail for a big bulb. Most of mine came from a guy on Ebay (the more unusual crinums, or they were at the time I bought them) or the Farmers and COnsumers Market Bulletin (where I get mediums for about $2 when I purchase other plants from people, but that takes a few years to bloom).
I cut back the stalks, but I leave all foliage on. I like the strappy foliage in contrast to other foliage in the garden.

prettypetals__

If you want to collect seed, leave the bloom stem until the seed capsule begins to split open. (You may need to hand pollinate them, to insure seed set.) Otherwise, you can remove the stem after the flowers are spent.

The price is about average for perchase of a single bulb.
But for a multiple bulb perchase, I would order from B & B Bulbs. They offer significant discounts when perchasing in quantities of 5 or 10.

Thanks georgia rose! I have never pollinated anything so do you mind giving me an easy way to do it? I will def go check out B & B. Thanks for the suggestion, Judy

This is a very good crinum site, by the way.

Here is a link that might be useful: Marcelle's crinums

Oh, Esh, that is an excellent website! I have some questions about some crinum hardiness that the crinum guy I buy plants from isn't sure about. I bet Marcelle has the answer!

Thanks Esh!! Someone on another garden forum gave me the same site to look at. I am so excited about planting them. I am hoping tomorrow will be nice so I can get outside and dig me some holes. Thanks again everyone!!!

Photo of Crinum EB
Note the long hook type filaments, with perpendicular anthers at the end. The anthers are coated with pollen, that is used to fertilize the egg in the ovary, but it has to get there first. That's where you can lend a helping hand!

For fertilization, the pollen is deposited on the stigma, which becomes receptive, by opening and spreading the lobes at it's tip, soon after anthesis (bud opens into a flower).
The lobes of the stigma are coated with a sticky substance, so that once pollen is deposited, it cannot escape!

To hand pollinate, observe the tip of the stigma to see if it is open and receptive, then use a sterile Q-Tip or pipe cleaner and collect the pollen, by rolling it over the anthers surface. Once collected, then transfer the pollen to the stigma, by repeating the rolling of the Q-Tip or pipe cleaner over the tip of the stigma.

I'm not familar with Crinum EB, but in most plants, once the ovule has been fertilized, the stigma closes and accepts no more pollen, The colorful flower parts then begin to fade and nectar production ceases as there is no further need to attract vectors for pollination. Energy is then redirected to produce mature seed, which may or may not germinate. Hopefully some will, to carry on the family name into the next generation!

(An amateur's version of one of Dr. George Sanko's favorite lecture topics; "Sexy in the Garden")!

Thanks georgia rose. I will keep this thread and attempt to pollinate some of these babies. That is a gorgeous picture and I so hope mine blooms like that. Thanks for all your help. I have wanted to try to cross some roses but haven't attempted it yet. It all sounds like so much fun though. Take care, Judy

This is one of the reasons why growing crinums from seed has never really interested me. EB provides generous offsets so I hadn't found it necessary to get seeds to grow (so many years from seed to bloom!).
The website Esh pointed out has very good information about what is garden worthy about each variety. Not really good hardiness information, but the prices are CRAZY. The guy I buy from is easily less than half.

Hi GGG, Can we get the name of the guy you buy from? Please, please!! Do you seperate you EB every so often and thats how you see the offsets or does the clump just get bigger and bigger? Going to try to get them in the ground next week. Judy