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A blooming torch lily is the definition of dazzling.
Photo by L.A. Jackson
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Know your zone for gardening success. The updated USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map for South Carolina now includes five distinct regions. See the national map at planthardiness.ars.usda.gov.
USDA
Spring always finds gardeners scratching their green thumbs, itching for a fun time in the dirt. And because part of the fun is discovering new botanical treats, I’m here to do my sworn horticultural duty by introducing you to a w-a-a-a-y different kind of plant—the torch lily.
Torch lily (Scadoxus multiflorus) is also called “Blood Lily” or “Fireball Lily,” and all three names suit this South African import up to a point because it is not a true lily but rather a member of the amaryllis family. Whatever name you use doesn’t matter, but when this plant is in full bloom, you will certainly call it dazzling.
Grown from a bulb, torch lily is best located in a lightly shaded site after the last average spring frost date. Planting it in well-worked, heavily amended soil is certainly an option, but because a garden-bound torch lily bulb could rot in an abnormally wet winter, I’ve leaned toward potting this pretty so I can bring it inside during the coldest months.
And there are two other good reasons to pick pots: 1) these fancy plants tend to flower better when their roots are just a bit crowded, and 2) you can move them around where they will show off best while in bloom.
What springs from these bulbs are long, paddle-shaped leaves that emerge before, during or after the big show, which is a sturdy, one-foot stem that quickly rises and explodes into a rather large, bright crimson flower ball. And I mean “rather large”—the blossom pictured was one of mine and checked in at a whopping 8 inches in diameter!
This dazzling display is an ephemeral experience, however, with the big bloom lasting about two weeks at the most. But while in flower, what a Kodak moment! Torch lily’s long leaves will still persist, lasting well into the fading fall. Speaking of which, if you have potted your pretty, bring it inside before nighttime temps fall into the 50s.
Although torch lily is becoming more popular with gardeners these days, you still won’t find it for sale on every street corner. Check with your local, friendly garden centers first, and if this doesn’t work, torch lilies are easy online finds, including at two regional e-nurseries: Terra Ceia Farms (terraceiafarms.com) and Plant Delights Nursery (plantdelights.com).
March in the garden
• Planning to till garden soil this month? Grab a handful of dirt first and squeeze it. If it holds together in a tight ball, it is too wet, and if you turn the soil over in that condition, your first harvest of the season will be a bumper crop of dirt clods.
• While mulch is certainly a beneficial addition to garden beds, hold off on covering areas where summer annuals will be grown. Leave the ground bare until at least mid to late April so the strengthening spring sun can help warm the soil’s temperature to a comfortably cozy level for cold-sensitive seeds and young plants.
Tip of the month
Have the funny feeling your garden has moved, but you haven’t? The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (planthardiness.ars.usda.gov) has been updated from the 2012 version, and, sure enough, change is in the air. Zone 7 is exiting S.C. to the west, being replaced by the spreading, balmy Zones 8a and 8b, with sultry Zone 9 getting a firm grip on the lower coast. This means longer growing seasons and opportunities to try a wider selection of subtropical plants. However, hotter, drier conditions are a distinct possibility as well as an even friendlier environment for heat-loving bad garden bugs such as thrips, whiteflies, spider mites, aphids and flea beetles. So, plan accordingly.
L.A. Jackson is the former editor of Carolina Gardener magazine. Contact him at lajackson1@gmail.com.