Photo: Consultaplantas, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Bulb or tuber · Amaryllidaceae
Powell's swamp lily
Crinum × powellii
In other languages: Crinum (Nederlands) · Crinum (Français)
Powell’s swamp lily, Crinum × powellii, is a hybrid between two South African species, Crinum bulbispermum and Crinum moorei, grown in English gardens since the late 19th century. Long, arching, strap-shaped leaves grow from a huge bulb with a long neck. From July to September, sturdy stems almost a metre tall appear with clusters of large, pink or white trumpet flowers that are wonderfully fragrant. In a warm, sheltered spot against a south-facing wall, it is one of the most exotic bulbs that can stay outdoors.
Caution: All parts of the plant, especially the bulb, contain toxic alkaloids, as in other members of the amaryllis family. Swallowing causes vomiting and diarrhoea. Wear gloves and keep children and pets away.
Light
Full sun
warm and bright
Moisture
Normal
no wet feet
Legal basis
Sand, loam or clay
neutral to chalky
Hardiness
down to -12 °C
protect in harsh winters
Size
1 m
tall, 0.6 m wide
Flowering
July–September
| Height | 1 m |
|---|---|
| Native to Belgium | No, planted |
| Poisonous to people and pets | Yes, take care with children and pets |
| Flowering | July–September |
Identify
Powell's swamp lily: how do you recognise it?
- Habit
- Large clump of arching leaves, with flower stems 0.8–1 m tall and 60 cm wide.
- Leaf
- Long, strap-shaped, light green, up to 1 m long, rather floppy and arching.
- Flower
- Clusters of 6–10 trumpet flowers 10–15 cm long, pink or white (‘Album’), fragrant.
- Flowering
- From July to September.
- Bulb
- Very large, up to 15 cm across, with a long neck of 20–30 cm.
Flowering: July–September · Plants: April–May
In your garden
Why grow it?
- Large, scented trumpet flowers in late summer, an exotic centrepiece.
- Flowers for a long time, from July into September, with new flowers coming all the time.
- A beautiful cut flower with a sweet scent indoors.
- Hardy to about −12 °C in a warm, sheltered spot.
- Gets better every year if left undisturbed.
Powell's swamp lily: where does it grow best?
- Full sun, ideally against a south-facing wall.
- Deep, well-drained but fertile soil: sand, loam or light clay, chalky is fine.
- Normally moist in summer, drier in winter.
- A warm, sheltered spot where the bulb does not sit wet in winter.
- Allow 60 cm of space per bulb.
- Light
- Sun
- Soil type
- Sand, loam or clay
- Acidity
- Neutral or chalky
- Moisture
- Normal
- Size
- 1 m tall, 0.6 m wide
- Hardiness
- Half hardy (to -12 °C): protect it in harsh winters
Goes well with
Maintenance
Powell's swamp lily: when and how to plant it?
Plant in April–May.
- Plant in April–May, once the soil has warmed up.
- Dig a deep hole and set the bulb so that the neck sticks out above the soil.
- Mix compost or well-rotted manure into the soil.
- In a pot: a large, deep pot of compost with some sand.
- Water after planting and keep the soil lightly moist until it grows.
Care
- Water
- Water generously in summer, especially while flowering.
- Feeding
- A hungry plant: give compost or manure in spring and liquid feed every two weeks in summer.
- Leave alone
- Leave it undisturbed for years: moving it costs one or two years of flowers.
- Leaves
- Cut away dead leaves in autumn.
- In a pot
- Overwinter a pot frost-free and keep it almost dry.
Tip: Plant it against a warm south-facing wall and leave it for years: the bigger the clump, the more flower stems it produces each year.
Powell's swamp lily: when to prune it?
When: No pruning is needed.
How:
- Cut faded flower stems off low down.
- Remove yellow and dead leaves in autumn.
Caution: Wear gloves: the sap of the bulb and leaves can irritate the skin.
Propagation
- Offsets
- After a few years the bulb forms offsets; separate them in spring and plant them separately. They flower after 2–3 years.
- Sowing
- Sow the large, fleshy seed as soon as it is ripe on compost; it takes years to the first flowers.
Powell's swamp lily: how does it get through the winter?
Hardy to −12 °C: protect in harsh winters.
- Hardy to about −12 °C, if kept dry and sheltered.
- Cover the bulb in winter with a thick layer of straw or leaves.
- Wet soil in winter is more dangerous than frost.
- Overwinter a pot frost-free in a shed or garage.
Diseases and pests
- No flowers: Recently moved, too little sun or too little food. Give it time, sun and feed.
- Slugs: Eat the young leaves; protect the clump in spring.
- Rotten bulb: Caused by cold, wet soil in winter. Plant in a better-drained spot or in a pot.
- Brown leaf edges: Caused by wind or drought; keep the soil moist and plant in shelter.
Through the year
- April: Planting. Add compost or manure.
- May: Planting. Water once it grows.
- June: Liquid feed every two weeks.
- July: Start of flowering. Water generously.
- August: Full flower. Cut flowers.
- September: Last flowers.
- October: Remove dead leaves.
- November: Cover with straw or leaves. Move pots somewhere frost-free.
Use
Edible and useful
Not edible. Belladonna lily, crinum, nerine, Aztec lily (sprekelia) and winter daffodil (sternbergia) belong to the daffodil family and, like daffodils, are poisonous in all their parts, especially the bulbs: they contain alkaloids such as lycorine, which cause vomiting, drooling, stomach ache and diarrhoea, in children as well as in dogs, cats and grazing animals. The bulbs look like onions or shallots but do not smell of onion when cut: never store them with the kitchen onions, not even the bulbs you keep dry over winter, such as sprekelia, and label them. The sap can irritate the skin: wear gloves when planting, dividing and cutting flower stems, and wash your hands afterwards. Keep a vase of nerines or belladonna lilies out of reach of cats, and call your vet if your dog or cat has chewed a bulb. If any is swallowed, call a poison centre (in Belgium 070 245 245) or your doctor at once.
You and this species
Did you know?
- The name Crinum comes from the Greek word krinon, meaning lily.
- This hybrid was raised around 1885 by C. Baden Powell in England, hence the name powellii.