Eremurus

Has anyone succesfully tried Eremurus? Everytime I have tried it they never come up. spread out the roots..mulch in early spring etc. and they still NEVER come up. Any help out there?

I started with 2-3 different ones and only have one that returns faithfully and multiplies. It is in a sunny position on a slight mound as recommended, on soil that dries out well between waterings.

Thanks...that is probably the reason..I don't think I have enough sun..I have a place with afternoon sun and no place with full morning sun. The absolute worst conditions...(for almost everything)! I am surprised I can grow anything. LOL i will try again however....also have problems with Lilium candidum. They grow green leaves early in the late fall and then never bloom.

I would think with your zone being higher than mine you might have better luck and maybe the heat would make up for the lack of light. I have the opposite problem. LOL I have 99% sun and one meager strip of shade behind my house. Honestly, the one Eremurus that I am certain croaked, was in a spot that got late afternoon and evening sun. The one that is pumping along is just now in the sun and will stay that way until about 7 tonight.

Successful this year. I've planted about 8 in this particular area over the past 3 years. I think 3 or 4 is all that ever broke through. One, 2yrs ago was 7 or 8 ft tall. The pictured ones herewith are 4-5 ft tall. These successfully overwintered. I think I'm on the very edge of their hardiness.

Another one this year, 5-6ft.

Awesome!!

A bit later, and at night.

They are absolutely gorgeous!!! Even if I had some come up they would never look like that. I am soooo jealous. Thanks for posting..the one at night is fabulous.

I have always wanted to grow eremurus. The first roots I planted did not survive. (bear in mind this is zone 3a!) 4 years ago I tried again. They are planted on the south side of the house foundation, very close to the wall with a brick patio a couple of feet away. It is probably a microclimate with a higher zone #. The 1st summer they leafed out about 10-12 inches but nothing more; 2nd summer lots of leaves again and several short flower spikes; 3rd summer(this year) lots of action - flower spikes 3-4 feet high! Victory! Hope next year will be the same or better! Might even indulge in a couple more roots! And of course I dont have any pics - havent got a digital camera yet!

carol

They're tempting. Do they really need full sun and shelter from wind, as the catalogs usually say? I've always wondered how you can shelter a spot from wind without blocking some of the sun. Does anyone make garden walls out of glass brick?

Very good point..I think they are subject to late frost but I can't believe zone 3a! Here I am ain 7a and nothing happened. I think I may try again...Is there a better time to plant them? say early fall or late fall? Or maybe even early spring?

I tried 3 last spring, but only one surfaced, then shrivled. I'm thinking of trying them again though, from another source. Brent and Becky's offer 'Spring Valley Hybrids', a mixture they say was hybridized in the US and is more vigorous than Holland grown selections, so I think I'll try those. I've used them as cut flowers and they're so cool, and now that I've seen the pic of them blooming with iris (such a great combo!) I'm even more determined. jmorth, all of yours are great! Thanks for posting.
Neal

I have Brent and Becky's catalogue and will order from them also. I would never be able to "cut" them for an arrangement unless I had a million.

The ones I used at the flower shop came from Isreal. I'd love to see the fields of blooms they're cut from! I'm just daydreaming of success though; they'd be so perfect in the new shrub and perennial borders I'm installing. I'm encouraged now knowing they survived in a zone 3 garden. Neal.

I ordered the Brent and Becky 'Spring Valley Hybrids' to plant this fall... that was before I knew how difficult eremurus were to grow...now I have to think of the perfect spot for them and get a basket to shield them from the wind and all kinds of precautions it sounds like from this article...

http://www.mrsgreenfingers.co.uk/eremus.htm

It sounds like they require the same kind of culture as the frittalaria crown imperials, etc., doesn't it?

If we get them to grow, we will have to be sure to have an eremurus thread next spring to show them off---like the daylily people! LOL

I decided not to order any..don't really have the perfect place so I will wait and see what happens next spring with you all and how you accomplished it.

I dont know what your winters are like in some of the more southern zones but most bulbs need a cold period to flower so maybe some of you just dont have cold enough winters?