In the Land of Milk and... Wine?

Crinum lilies are one of those plants I didn't fully appreciate until I started paying more serious attention to gardening.  Maybe it's because I grew up seeing them so often-- like the "plain" orange daylilies.  Maybe it has something to do with their tropical look-- not a positive feature, back before I had embraced the (sub)tropical nature of this area.  (And by "embraced", I mean "reluctantly gave in to the fact that life is easier if you plant mostly things that want to grow in your area".  I do not and will not relinquish the right to complain about the heat and humidity.  I don't have it in me to be consistently cheerful throughout our long summers!)

Since then, I've come to value their toughness and easy-going nature-- and their beauty, too.

Over the past couple of years, I've planted a few new crinums in our garden.  Two of them have yet to bloom-- 'Ellen Bosanquet' and Crinum x. powelli 'Album'-- but two of the "milk and wine" type (no specific ID) have bloomed this summer.

The first one to bloom was somewhat less impressive than I'd have hoped-- maybe I just didn't catch it on a good day-- but the second one was pretty.

Here's the first one looking a little limp and frail and faint.  (I suspect it did look better, at some point.)

A hefty stem and bud announce the impending arrival of crinum lilies.

The second one to bloom was right off the path to the kitchen door.  It's in a better location for viewing than the first one, which may account for some of my change in attitude.

The flowers are still a bit frail (delicate?), but these did seem to have a bit more body and verve than the first one.  

The first of our crinodonnas (a.k.a. amarcrinums) bloomed, earlier this summer!  This plant is a cross between an amaryllis and a crinum (Amaryllis belladonna x Crinum moorei).

They're relatively rare-- certainly not a common find in your nearest big box store.  I ordered ours online and though no variety was named, it may be 'Fred Howard' (based on the fact that that's supposedly the most commonly available variety-- and it has "somewhat irregular pink flowers", which I think describes ours pretty well).

The blooms are pretty enough, but weren't anything special compared to the pale pink crinum passed along from my family.  If all it had going for it was looks, it would be bested by the crinum, which are more perfectly formed.  However, the crinodonna as a trick up its sleeve: It's scented!  (If you're a regular reader, you know I have a weakness for scented plants...)

I wish I had blogged back when the fragrance was still fresh in my mind... As it is, I can't remember if it reminded me of anything in particular-- but it was a pleasant fragrance.  Soft and pleasant.  Not overpowering.

I'm pleased with this new plant and would be glad to collect another variety or two, at some point.  Since named cultivars seem to be hard to come by, I'll probably content myself with watching to see how the two (of the same type) I already have progress in the next year or two.