Crinum Walter Flory (Regular) - 1 bulb

If you are interested in a crinum that is celebrated for its resilience, striking blooms, and ease of care, then look no farther than the Crinum 'Walter Flory.'  The pink blossoms with darker stripes are not commonly seen. in his book Garden Bulbs for the South, Scott Ogden says the Crinum Walter Flory has "exquisite pink blossoms accented by burgundy stripes." It is a large plant, and the flowers in the hottest part of summer will sometimes fade into a light, almost white pink. 'Walter Flory' adds variety to any crinum grower's collection.

This crinum is a cross between the Crinum 'Ellen Bosanquet' and the Crinum powellii 'Album'. In the picture above you can see the deeper pink color of the 'Ellen Bosanquet' vs. the lighter (but still bright) pink color of the 'Walter Flory' which really shows off the dark striping. The 'Walter Flory' blooms are also a little more open. The Crinum powellii 'Album' is one of the most cold hardy crinums so this bulb will do well in zone 7, but it loves the heat of zones 8-10. The bulb was crossed and developed in Brownsville, Texas so it can absolutely stand the heat. 

The bulb blooms in June/July right alongside the Ellen Bosanquet. It has excellent lush green foliage. It grows up to 30-40 tall and then puts up even taller spikes that are filled with blooms. Each stalk will often have about 13-15 sweetly fragrant flowers. The blooms are a deep pink/burgundy when closed and then open to an eye-catching pink. When it is mature, the plant will be about 24-36 inches wide. 

PLANT: Plant the crinum with the neck sticking out (look at the pictures). If you live in zone 7, you probably want to mulch over the top during the winter if it is going to be a hard freeze. It tolerates droughts very well, but it will "perform" better for you during a drought if you water it during the blooming period. 

SUN: This crinum does best with at least 8+ hours of daylight. You can plant it front and center in your sun garden (full southern sun) though as a centerpiece.

MULTIPLY: The 'Walter Flory' will multiply by little offsets, but can be propagated through seeds. 

Large bulbs are 1) quicker in their life to dividing and producing more offsets (babies) and 2) have a higher likelihood of larger and more blooms the first year. 

Plant now in good garden soil with plenty of sun. Water regularly during the hot dry months of summer. They will bulk up and multiply quickly!

Crinums don't like to be moved so they won't bloom for you this year, but give them time to get adjusted and enjoy the display of blooms next year!