This is actually a tuber not a bulb but I couldn't find the tuber forum. : ) This is my first bloom of the season.
I love this plant. I keep mine in a pot and this year it is twining up a small bakers rack. Although the blooms are exotic, the leaf tips fascinate me by the way they curl and grab to climb.
Does anyone here grow these. Do you have photos you would care to post? I would love to see them...
I love this bloom too! I can't grow it as a perennial in my zone 6 Tn garden but your idea of growing it in a pot and taking it in in the winter has me rethinking. I first saw this gorgeous plant at Memory Jordan's daylily garden and was amazed by its exotic beauty!
I wish I had taken a picture of the huge bower which was the entrance to her garden. It is COVERED with these gloriosas. She also has some in pink.
Wow ~ the first photo is phenomenal! These are so pretty. I have seen a solid red and also yellow but not a pink. I think that one would have to grow on me. I love these because there is no pastel here.
Do you grow these at all? Could they be heavily mulched over winter in your zone or dug up like we did the Glads in Mn winters?
Here's link to some of mine: http://davesgarden.com/journal/ed/index.php?tabid=1788
Jmorth ~
I do believe we have discovered your weakness! Great diary and really nice photos. Do you grow any in ground? Do you remove them each winter?
I saw you keep some in pots. Do you fertilize? Do you repot annually?
This is my third year with these. I love them but the first year I got no blooms. The 2nd year was good and this year will be better. I would appreciate any pointers you can give me about keeping them potted please? Thx pod
I have a question regarding these. I plante dmy first tubers this year and got some beautiful blooms. The leaves now seem to drying and yellowing kind of like some of the spring blooming bulbs I have. Does this sound normal?
pod,
Some cultural notes on Gloriosa rothschildiana -
I usually grow mine in very large containers (14 to 20" +).
I place the tubers (which are often shaped like fingers, legs, or L's) 2 inches below the top of the soil, they are placed horizontally with an inch or two apart, 3 to 6 per container. If using pots or containers, its a good idea to have a trellis in place so as not to accidently pierce one when soil covered later. They can grow upward (by tendrils at leaf's ends) up to 8 feet per season. It's essential to provide a support for them to grow upward on. The soil must be free draining (adding some sand usually helps). For most of my containers I put a couple inches of styrofoam peanuts in the bottom (this keeps the weight more manageable and helps drainage). Mine usually bloom through the whole summer season.When they decline by fall, taper off watering. I move mine to the basement for overwinter storage. If utilizing large pots, they maybe be left dry in the pots till spring when it is recommended they be re-potted. When tapped out of their old pot an amazing juxtapositioning has often occurred in that the tubers migrate from the horizontal plane to become vertical.
I usually fertilize them with liquid MiracleGrow every 2 to 3 weeks.
One can ascertain when they'll come out of their dormancy by observing the tuber tips, they take on a pinkish coloration. At this point it is usually easier to establish which side goes up when planting for a rudimentary eye becomes visible and points upward. The basement here maintains a fairly constant average temperature around 60 degrees.
When grown outside they prefer night temps 60 - 70 degrees but can tolerate down to 50 degrees. Preferred day temps are 75 degrees or higher with high humidity (typical midwest climate).
They can also be grown as houseplants or in the ground summer plants.
At season's end or next season's beginning when extracting them from their habitat it is easy to break them. If that happens be not overly alarmed as usaully each separate leg will bloom any way.
notes I wrote for a former DG exchange...
Great info ~ Thank you! I have kept mine in a large pot for 3 years now and this year appears to be the best.
Interestingly, I left the pot outdoors sitting on a brick patio and we saw many nights below freezing this winter. Even a few nights that went into the low 20's. They appear to have suffered no ill effects.
Marieortiz ~ I have to tell you, the first year these were planted, they didn't even bloom. Would send out shoots, put on a few leaves, turn yellow and die. In a few weeks, they would send out more shoots. I never did figure out if it was too much, not enough water/light/heat whatever! The second year they took off. I would think your tubers will be fine and may even put on a second display. Please keep us posted... pod
THanks podster. I have been driving myself crazy trying to figure out am I overwatering , underwatering or what. I think I will take a wait and see approach.
Not to worry ~ The tubers are still there and will return. Unfortunately, you may have a blank spot in the meantime.
I love this lily. Even tho, here it can become invasive for me..I have it several locations, full sw GA sun and they love it..Had a yellow one awhile back, it bloomed once and then it disappeared.. Never have seen the pink one..very pretty.
Larkie
Hi Larkie! I am envious that these guys can be invasive. If my soil was that good, I would probably have so many they would choke me out. LOL
I have noticed the yellow trim fades as the bloom ages... left to right ~ 1 day old, 3 days old is now solid red and just opening on the right .
At least they are a very pretty invasive here..
Larkie
Very much so.... This is one I love and hope to never be without. I am surprised they aren't more common.
I wish they would become invasive in my yard. I have spent alot and only managed to get 2 to grow.
Some of my potted glories are shaping up nicely...blooms ere long.
How healthy they look! Blooms before long for sure... I hope you will post some photos when they bloom.
I just found this thread this morning and am drooling into my coffee!! I've seen these in catalogs, but never considered growing them since they are not listed as hardy in my zone and I haven't had room to overwinter a pot in the house.
But this might just push me over the edge...It's all your fault!!!
Larkie, if they are invasive for you, maybe we could trade for something. I have lots of addictions:)))
Bev
I got two of these from one of the recent co-ops. I didn't really like the looks of the tubers in the first place, but I attempted the dahlia plastic bag starting method. You put the tuber in with a little dirt and about 1/4 water, not too wet, and leave the top of the bag open. I used label holders to prop mine open.
This works fantastic for dahlias. However, these just rotted. One still looks 'alive' sort of, but I don't know which end is the 'eye' and both ends look like they are rotting.
I so wanted to have this plant. :( I guess I am out of luck again. I think I paid $4 or $5 even in the co-op. Oh well....
Susan
=^..^=
9kittymom ~ I have "oh welled" many a plant over the years. But this one is worth another try. Jmorths' planting advice is worth trying next time... The odd shaped tubers just lay flat and only an inch or two below the soil surface.
I did find that the first year was a disappointment. Mine didn't bloom but had many starts of foliage which would die down. I resisted digging up the tubers but I was convinced they were rotting. After seeing them this year I'm thinking they weren't getting enough water. If I redo the pot, I will add a little sand tho to make sure it will drain well as suggested above.
You might take the one that looks like it is rotting and leave it out to dry for a week or so. Then plant it in soil and be patient till next year. Won't cost anything to try... good luck. pod
Pod, how long after planting did leaves start shooting out? What time of year? where was your pot?
The first year I had them in a pot on the front porch where they received morning sun and protection from excess rain. I think I planted them in March. This went on May, June and July. I got disgusted and put them out on the patio in bright shade the 2nd summer. They delivered a few flowers and I was happier. This year they are doing great in that same location. We have had more rain and that may be helping too.
The shoots would get maybe a foot long. Maybe a leaf or two and then would die. Then in a couple weeks another shoot would come out. I wonder if this is chronic for the first year after reading what Marieortiz posted.
My flowers are extremely small. Maybe since it is their first year?
How small Marie? With the petals fully open, mine are about 4 inches just a bit larger than a tennis ball. There many be smaller ones as well...
Yep , mine are just now starting to bloom too. I love them because they are somewhat drought tolerant, and we are on year 2 of a drought. These multiply like rabbits. Once you got em, you will always have em.
Not even golf ball size.
Marieortiz, Perhaps they are small because it is the first year. Mine never delivered blooms that first year. Do you have them in ground or in a pot? Having lived in Tempe years ago, I am going to ask. Is your soil loose or compacted? Is that a metal trellis you are growing them on?
Tggfisk ~ Bev, 'tis our pleasure to have "pushed you over the edge" : )) pod
Here is more pushing...
I must say the foliage is a little shy looking. Any one else have more and healthier foliage?
Mine are in the ground they are in amended native soil in the ground. On one of them the
leaves started yellowing and browning. Too much water? Not enough? Just strange. This is there first year . They were actually planted in Feb.
Marie ~ mine yellowed and died back but then other shoots would come up the first year. I think that you may get a few different shoots from each tuber. I would not give up hope on them. At least till you make it thru the 2nd year. Do you know anyone else there that grows these?
One other person but I think she is still waiting to see what happens with hers. I have about 8 planted (who knows where now) that did not come up. I am going to start searching for them and hope I can find them and replant as jmorth suggested. I think I planted all of mine vertically.
Dig carefully when you do... Good luck. If you find them, you might put one or two in a pot and try that also.
Well I think I kow where 3 of them are. The rest who knows!!!
Ahhh, pod...you're bad, really, really baaaaddd! Pushing an addictive personality like that:))
Bev
You go ~ girl! Do you need help finding a source? I haven't uprooted my pot so don't know if they have multiplied. Shoot, I can't even remember how many I started with... : ))
easy to grow bulbs has a lovely burgundy, yellow and red. I would love the burgund, but don't want to place an order for the one little item.
Just ordered that one vossner for a second time :o) I am a glutton for punishment.
you have the burgundy? tell me about it.
