Cardiocrinum giganteum
(Giant Himalayan Lily)

Family - Liliaceae
Category - Bulb
Origin - Himalayas, Myanmar (Burma), China, Nepal, India
Year of Introduction - 1852
Season of Interest - Summer
Hardiness - H4
Height - up to 3m
Width - up to 60cm
Location - The Woodland Walk

Description: A bulbous Perennial with tall vertical stems. Large ovate to heart-shaped leaves are glossy dark green and tinged with deep red when young. Each leaf can reach 30cm or more in length. Bold trumpet-shaped lily flowers are white and each Bloom has burgundy markings near the throat. The sweetly scented Blooms are held in Racemes atop the towering stems and are produced in midsummer. Flowering stems can reach up to 3m in height and can produce up to 25 individual blossoms per stem. The flowers are followed by large rounded seedheads. The bulb will die after setting seed, but will produce offsets which generally take 5 to 7 years to flower again (monocarpic).

The large hollow stems are used as musical instruments in its native regions in Nepal.

Synonym - Lilium giganteum, Lilium giganteum himalaicum

Additional common name - Giant Lily

Gallery Images:

Flower:

Nodding, trumpet-shaped lily flowers are white with burgundy markings near the throat. The flowers are fragrant and each bloom can reach 20cm or more in length. The flowers are held in racemes atop vertical, towering stems and are produced in June and July. The flowers are followed by large, rounded seedheads.

Flower colour: White

Flower shape: Trumpet-shaped flowers held in racemes

Flowering time: June, July

Foliage:

Glossy, dark green foliage is ovate to Cordate in shape and tinged with deep red when young. The leaves are mostly held at the base of the stems with fewer, smaller leaves Alternately arranged on the flowerings stems. Leaves at the base of the plant can be 30cm or more in length but gradually decrease in size up the stem.

Foliage Senescence: Deciduous

Foliage Shape: Ovate to cordate

Propagation:

Seed, division of offsets (after flowering).

Cultivation:

Best in full sun to partial shade in fertile, moisture-retentive soil that is well-drained. Will benefit from a position sheltered from strong wind.