Herself’s Houston Garden

blood lily

I found these at Mercer March Mart’s and planted the bulbs that spring. Nothing happened for a year. I wrote them off as a loss. Then much to my surprise they all showed up early June. So be patient, they may take 18 months before showing themselves.

Plant in sun to part shade. You will get showier flowers in sunnier areas and the flowers will last longer in part shade.

Like most bulbs it will want moist soil in the warm months, and drier soil in the colder months.

Blooms appear in the summer, it may take a couple of years after you plant the bulb for it to bloom. Blooms only last a couple of weeks. Berries appear after the flowers.

Plant dies back in the winter and appears in the warm weather, usually after a rainstorm.

Plant will naturalize.

Plant is toxic, don’t eat it. Arrows are coated in the toxin from this plant in African tribal areas. It is also used a medicinal plant but I would not try it.

Problems:
This is part of the amaryllis family and can be attacked by amaryllis lily borers. Snails and slugs may also bother it.

These bloom profusely early spring and can be seen in clusters in any damp, boggy area. By summer they have vanished. It prefers shaded areas but can be seen in full sun bogs growing wild. They are grown from bulbs and excellent additions to your bog or swale garden. Flowers are on 2′ tall stems. Blooms are fragrant.

The Burj Dubai building is supposedly inspired and designed after this flower.

The name Amaryllidaceae comes from the Greek word ‘amarysso’ which means to twinkle as many of these flowers do have a slight sparkle. Try not to move these plants, even though bulbs are resilient it takes time for the root system to regrow.

Though they prefer moist soil, they will usually do ok in drier areas.

It will die back to the ground during a drought and re-appear in damper weather.

This plant is a Texas native.