This bulb can bloom sporadically, so it is best to have a few. It will, however, propagate quite quickly and you'll have more a few years after planting.
Sprekelia is often known as the Aztec lily. It is in the amaryllis family, and perhaps the best way to describe it is to think of the color of an oxblood lily (Rhodophiala bifida), the foliage of a pink rain lily (Habrahthus robustus), and the bloom regularity of a spider lily (Lycoris radiata). The red is stunning when in bloom and the flower form is sure to be a conversation starter each and every time someone sees it!
Blooms: Each bulb sends up a single bright scarlet, orchid-like flower, up to about 4-6 inches across, on a stalk about 12 inches tall. The flower has six long, narrow petals: three sweep upward and three hang down around the long stamens, which is why some folks say it looks like a red bird or a fleur-de-lis. The main bloom time is spring (April-May for us), and established clumps will sometimes rebloom in late summer or fall after a rain. Each flower lasts only a few days, so plant a group for a longer show.
Planting: Like its amaryllis cousins, the Aztec lily likes to be planted shallow. Plant the bulbs with the neck of the bulb just at or slightly above the soil line (about 3-4 inches deep for most bulbs) and space them about 8-12 inches apart. Plant them in full sun to a little afternoon shade in well-drained soil; they are very drought tolerant, and soggy soil can rot the bulbs. Spring is the ideal time to plant. They are perennial in the ground in zones 8-10 (zone 7b with a good winter mulch), and in colder areas they do great in a pot that comes inside for the winter.
Pots: Sprekelia is happy in a pot and blooms well when it is a little crowded. Use a well-drained potting mix, keep the neck of the bulb above the soil, and let the soil dry out between waterings, especially while the bulbs are resting.
|
|