Scadoxus multiflorus
If you ’re a big fan of the intumescent , world - shaped heyday of decorative genus Allium , then say hello to their crimson - blooming cousin : the blood line lily .
The name “ roue lily ” might sound ironically hardcore for a heyday , but since the fiery - hot chromaticity ofScadoxus multiflorusbloomsareblood - like , it ’s actually a pretty accurate name .
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This crimson colouring pairs well with the clear green chromaticity of the leaf .
Combine these delightful colors with the prominent flowered shape , and you ’ve got a really awesome plant on your hands . But how to spring up it ?
With knowledge , that ’s how … and this guidebook has all the know - how you need to begin your plant line of descent , from propagation to cultivation .
Here ’s what we ’ll be speak about :
What You’ll Learn
What Are Blood Lilies?
Formerly classify asHaemanthus multiflorus , Scadoxus multiflorusis a bulbous perennial from the Amaryllidaceae , or amaryllis , mob which includessnowdrops , daffodil , andamaryllis flowers .
Hardy in USDA Zones 9 to 11 , the blood lily trace its origins to tropical Africa , piece of South Africa , and the Arabian Peninsula . Even though it has “ lily ” in the name , S. multiflorusisn’t atrue lily plant of theLiliumgenus .
Let ’s take up with the bloom clustering : scarlet , spherical , and four to six inches in diam , the flower head are actually composed of many case-by-case bloom deport on one to two inches of succulent stem , each with six pinkish - red petal and six yellow - tap red stamen .
Blooming in summer , these flowers persist for up to two weeks . If pollinators do their affair , then orange to crimson berries will follow in gloam .
The flowers and fruit do n’t grow on actual shank , but ratherpseudostemsconsisting of overlapping foliage sheaths that connect to a rhizomatous bulb .
From each carmine - streaky bulb grows six to seven bright green , lance - mold leave , each 12 to 15 inches long .
As a whole , each industrial plant uprise one to two feet tall and nine to 18 inches broad .
The bulbs contain toxic alkaloid , and should not be handle without gloves or run through . This “ no feeding ” formula break for your pets and livestock , too !
There are three subspecies ofS. multiflorus : multiflorus , katharinae , andlongitubus .
Themultiflorussubspecies is stock – hence the redundant name – while thekatharinaesubspecies has slightly larger dimensions and prime . Thelongitubussubspecies has somewhat elongated floral tubes , but it ’s not commonly date in refinement .
Cultivation and History
The blood lily is more than just a pretty facial expression – it has many hardheaded applications .
Gambian farmers implant it as a good - luck hoodoo for protecting their crop from thieves , Nigerian farmers mark the bound of their plots with it , and it ’s used for toxicant angle in both Guinea and Nigeria .
In many portion of Africa , S. multiflorushas a variety of medicative uses . The crushed electric-light bulb is used to cover serious wounds and rubbing burns , while the dried bulb promote suckling when rubbed on chest scarifications .
Blood lily ointment is used for ulcer , a decoction made from the crushed electric light is taken internally to treat hookworm , and the sap treat otalgia when employ straightaway into the pinna canal .
I ’m certainly not say this stuff does n’t solve , but Iamsaying that you likely should n’t try any of it at home , as the plant is technically toxic to both humans and animals .
take this a surgeon general warning to continue with carefulness … even though I ’m neither a surgeon nor a superior general .
Blood Lily Propagation
To propagate blood lily , you have four options : you’re able to farm from germ , divide offsets , works bulb , or transplant a potted specimen .
From Seed
For seed sowing , you ’ll postulate entree to a specimen that has give yield . Alternatively , you could snag some seeds from friends or a reputable vendor .
If you go the DIY harvesting route , hold off until the orange to crimson Chuck Berry either strike down from the plant or are crinkled and ripe enough to fall at the slight touch .
While wear gloves , take the Charles Edward Berry , mash them up , and take out the seeds within . Then , rinse the seeds in a strainer to take out all the pulp magazine .
occupy a source tray with a 50:50 commixture of peat moss and perlite , and dust the seeds on the control surface of the acquire media .
mildly squeeze them into the media without burying them , then moisten with a spray nursing bottle . check that the tray is disclose to bright , indirect illumination .
Keep the media moist as the seeds sprout . When new growth is observed which can take a few months , you could graft them out in the garden or into single containers .
It can take up to five years for a works startle from semen to blossom , so solitaire is primal .
From Offsets
line lilies expand naturally by producingoffsetsfrom the mother bulb . Removing and replanting these every three to five years both manages a specimen ’s sizeandprovides you with more plant !
But first , it ’s of import to countenance your offsets formulate for a growing season or two before expect any flowers , since they probably wo n’t be large and developed enough to bloom their first year .
In other outpouring , cautiously lift your target plant , remove stain from around the medulla oblongata , and murder the offsets from the fundamental bulb , either by using a sterilise leaf blade or your gloved hands .
Return the mother bulb to its home , then constitute each set off into its own container or patch of garden grunge . Plant each offset bulb so that its “ neck opening ” is at the soil business , and water in the media around it .
Keep them well - watered as they become prove which should take a few calendar week to a couple of months .
From Bulbs/Transplanting
Whether you purchase new bulbs or are set out 1 you ’ve raise and stored over the winter month , plant bulbs is simple .
If you ’re embed out in your landscape painting , verify your intended sites are in full sun or part shade and have fertile , well - draining soil , with a pH of 5.5 to 6.5 .
Potted bulbs should go in well - draining , yet moisture - retain mass medium – an even commixture of peat moss and perlite is arrant .
Ensure your chosen container has drainage holes in the bottom and is one or two inches larger than the bulb . You do n’t desire a container that ’s too magnanimous as the extra potting medium can keep on too much wet and stimulate bunkum .
In spring , when all risk of frost has passed , constitute each bulb an in rich , apex up and basal scale down , spacing them nine to 18 inches apart .
body of water in the soil around the bulbs , and keep it evenly moist as the bulbs grow and develop leaf .
If you ’re transplant a potted industrial plant , fag a hole the same size as the container the plant is currently growing in , lightly hit it from the pot , and set it in the hole . Backfill with ground and water in well .
Just be extra careful when you handle the antecedent systems , as they do n’t care being disturbed .
How to Grow Blood Lilies
Got some blood lilies engraft ? Let ’s talk about how to keep them healthy and felicitous .
Climate and Exposure Needs
If you need to leave your bulbs in - ground year - round , then you ’ll ask to be in USDA zona 9 to 11 .
Theycanbe grown in cool climates , but they ’ll necessitate to be place in container that can be brought indoors before temperatures dip below 45 ° atomic number 9 . Any colder , and the foliation will turn dark-brown and go to go back .
Choose a location in full sun to partial shade . The idealistic touch would have full sun in the sunup follow by some tincture in the afternoon .
promising , indirect light is best for plant that are develop indoors .
Soil Needs
The idealistic ground for pedigree lily is organically - racy , productive , and well - draining , with a pH of 5.5 to 6.5 .
If your garden has peculiarly flaxen grunge , amend with compost or well - rotted manure to improve weewee retention . cadaver soils can benefit from the addition of pea gravel as well as compost to amend drainage and total organic thing .
In spring , top dress with compost or well - rotted manure and carefully dig it into the soil around your blood lily to add organic matter and nutrients .
Water and Fertilizer Needs
For optimum growth , maintain even moisture throughout the get season . To do this , water system whenever the surface of the soil dries out .
Stop any supplementary irrigation when the foliage dies back in fall .
Regular impregnation throughout the growing season , starting in early spring will assist encourage strong blooms .
A slow - release fertilizer only need to be apply once or double during the growing time of year , while a liquid fertilizer can be apply as frequently as every two weeks .
Jack ’s Classic Blossom Booster
Try a phosphorus - sound fertilizer like this 10 - 30 - 20 Blossom Booster from Jack ’s Classic , available via Amazon .
Growing Tips
Pruning and Maintenance
Blood lily blooms last for up to two hebdomad , so if you ’re looking for gelded flowers , that ’s your windowpane .
Be sure to cut down the heyday stem diagonally so it can still take up water system while touching the bottom of the vase .
If you do n’t need to collect the seeds come , abridge the heyday halt down to the primer coat when the blooms have wither .
When the leave die , feel free to curve those to the earth as well to tidy up the garden . Remove any diseased or damaged plant tissue paper you pass to notice .
In Zone 9 , in - ground bulbs do good from a layer of mulch to help them survive the wintertime cold .
In cooler climates , the bulb will demand to be lift and stored if you do n’t want to plant unexampled ones next outflow .
When the foliation dies back in fall , lift the bulbs sometime before the first icing , once temperature start to regularly stay below 45 ° farad .
Cut the shoot and root tissue from the bulbs , and lay them out on paper for one to two week in a brightly light indoor space so they can dry out .
When they ’re wry , put the bulb in paper bags or in a cardboard corner with ventilation hole , mob them with peat moss , and store them in a dark , dry seat kept at 50 to 60 ° F until spring .
Where to Buy
To buy blood lily bulbs , you could check with your local plant shop , bulb catalogue , or favored online vendors .
you could barter for one at a plant trade , or perhaps snag one from a horticultural show .
If your fellow gullible ovolo have some electric light or seed to exchange for some of your own , then make with the trade !
Blood Lily Bulb
you could find bulbs online available from Hirt ’s Gardensvia Walmart .
Managing Pests and Disease
Thankfully , S. multiflorusdoesn’t really suffer from serious pests and disease , and it ’s even repellent to damaging herbivores such as deer , rabbits , and rodents .
But you ’re not out of the forest yet . To keep your blood lilies entirely innocent of wellness event , you ’ll need to prepare for these potential problem .
Slugs and Snails
Whether they ’re shell - less biff or scale - wearing snails , these mollusks are real slimy , andrealannoying .
With their uniquely - textured tongues , they eat leaf tissue paper like you or I file away down our nail , which pull up stakes scratchy , yet tranquil alimentation hollow in leaf . As a result , photosynthesis is hindered and the plant life ’s wellness is harmed .
Since these guys take shelter from the sun underneath the shade , it helps to bump off any incidental spots where they can hide : dope , flora detritus , stones , etc .
If you acknowledge clout and snail equipment casualty , you may go out at night with a flashlight to pick them off infested plant and compaction or otherwise dispose of them .
idle and Snail Traps
you’re able to also overtake them passively with some slug and escargot bunker like these pliant green beer hole , sell in set of threeat Gardener ’s Supply .
Our guide to managing slugs and snails can be find here .
Bulb Rot
Believe it or not , roots really need to breathe a piddling – and when the soil around the root organization is waterlogged , the roots do n’t get the oxygen they ask .
As a result , the root system and the bulb can turn necrotic and pass , which hinders water and nutrient intake for the residue of the plant , have the foliage to flex brown and die back .
To prevent medulla rot in rip lilies , it ’s substantive to imbed in well - draining soil and to avoid overwatering during the growing season . It ’s also important tostopwatering during quiescence .
If you ’re growing your roue lily in a container , check that it has adequate drainage holes .
And if bulb rot takes hold , you could try digging up the plant and run it to a more desirable location or potting it up in well - run out potting mix . But if it does n’t find , you ’ll have to pitch the rotted bulb .
Best Uses for Blood Lilies
A bright red ball of blooms can play many roles in a garden , it ’s pretty enough to be the star of the show , while it can also support other specimens as an accent planting .
Put it in a container , and the blood lily is stunning on a terrace or as an indoor houseplant . And do n’t forget its great power as a cut flower !
Quick Reference Growing Guide
Don’t Be Silly, Snag Some Blood Lily
Trust me , growing blood lilies is well deserving it . Blood - red blooms , a thick size , ease of care … what ’s not to love ?
Congrats on being able to acquire this ball - forge beauty . May it brighten your garden every summer !
Are youinterested in grow more plants with Lucille Ball - shaped flowers ? Have a read of these usher next :
© Ask the Experts , LLC . ALL right RESERVED.See our TOSfor more details . Product photo via Gardener ’s Supply , Jack ’s Classic , and Walmart . Uncredited photos : Shutterstock .
About
Joe Butler
