The signature mark for many crinums is the dark pink, red, or burgundy line running down an otherwise solid white petal. Crinum 'Stars and Stripes' celebrates this pattern in one of the most intense ways known to crinum hybrids. 'Stars and Stripes' does not propagate as fast as other crinums, but it is well worth the wait for more bulbs, and in the meantime it fills the garden with a show-stopping bloom.
Blooms: White trumpet blooms boldly striped with deep red rise on sturdy stalks above long, strappy leaves. The blooms have an open appearance, allowing the often awestruck onlooker a clear view of the striking beauty of the flowers. It usually blooms in mid-summer and sometimes into the fall.
Planting: This crinum comes growing in a 2 gallon pot. Plant it in the garden at the same level it is growing in the pot, keeping the neck of the bulb right at or barely above soil level. Give it full sun (at least 8 hours a day is best, with a little late-afternoon shade welcome in the hottest areas) and well-drained soil, and space plants about 3 feet apart so they have room to clump. Although some bulbs may need a season under their belt to bloom, do the following to increase a first season bloom: plant the bulb as soon as possible, water the bulb moderately every day with good drainage for the first week (then water every 2-3 days if there is no significant rainfall), and fertilize moderately once a week the first two weeks in the ground with a low nitrogen fertilizer.
Landscaping Tip: Crinums don't like to be moved, so choose a spot where it can stay for years and grow into a long-lived clump. Its bold stripes make it a natural focal point near a porch, walkway, or patio where the blooms can be admired up close.
Animals: Like most crinums, deer and other animals tend to leave it alone.