Bulbs/ Hymenocallis festalis
Does it make sense to grow flowers just for the beauty? Oh, yes, there is! And it is because the flower is never here just for beauty only! It makes the meaning of life to so many beings!
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Hymenocallis festalis, interesting name, and unusual exotic flower!
The name Hymenocallis originates from Greek ὑμήν = membrane, καλός = beauty. Of course there must be some beauty in it's name, look at it!
The shape of the flower is very beautiful. They have narrow petals attached to the cup, which reminds on Daffodils and spiders. It is also known as Peruvian Daffodil or Spider Lily, no wonder, and is native to the tropic and subtropical regions of South America.
It can be planted in a garden or in a pot. It should be raised when planting, so that 2/3 are in the soil, and 1/3 is above the ground. (I have a notebook with such tips. Too many plants, I cannot remember all.)
It likes to be on a lot of sunshine and likes water, so I keep my in the rain and in the sun.
Flower stalk grows up to 80 cm in height!
I bought this plant last winter for this unusually beautiful flower. It blossomed to me immediately for the first spring. But I worried whether it will succeed to overwinter successfully at my place.
It is best to remove it from the pot in the autumn and store it to a place where the temperature does not fall below 10 degrees C. Since I can not provide such a temperature with 100% security, I wrapped it in agrotextile, a fabric that raises the temperature for several degrees. And hoping for the best. In the end it overwintered successfully. I planted it again in fresh soil and it flowered to me again this spring!
New baby bulb!
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Seeds?
It even created the seed shells this year. Will there really be seeds in there?
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I would be really glad!
Thank you for your attention!
@andrijana
I really like spider lilies but it is probably a good thing that I don't have anywhere suitable to grow any. It looks like there is viable seed in the centre pod. Those pretty, furry bees have been working. We don't have such bees here, yours are so cute
It is because this is not a bee, than a bumblebee; one of the insect from bee family, but bigger, and is not living in South Africa.
We get bumblebees too, but they aren't cute and furry like yours
Yes, you are right. This species is not living in south A., not all bumblebees.
Great photos!
Very beautiful flower!
I think he should have a scent.
A bee on the flower - it's super!
These are seeds!
Capsules must dry up!
And when they start to open slightly, then you can cut these boxes.
Thank you!
Should I cut the flower stalk and leave these capsules somewhere to dry or should I leave it the way it is till they start to open slightly? I suppose that I should leave it, just as it is with cacti, but I have to ask. I never had seeds from some bulb.
I had amaryllis seeds. So this is my experience:
I left them on the flower, because I think that the seeds should ripen. And, when the box began to open slightly (in my opinion - it means the seeds are already ripe), then I neatly cut the bulb.
Than I will leave it the way it is. Hoping for the seeds!
:-)