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Glory lily is well-named, with its showstopping slender, wavy petals that can bring pops of color to a fence or trellis.
Photo by L.A. Jackson
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Acidic soil will turn a French hydrangea’s hue blue.
Photo by L.A. Jackson
Gloriosa superba “Rothschildiana”—when it comes to botanical names, that’s about as pompous as it gets. But this beauty has the visual goods to back up such an ostentatious tag.
Commonly called gloriosa lily, flame lily or (my preference) glory lily, this dazzler is an herbaceous perennial vine grown from tubers planted in the spring. It matures rapidly in the summer heat and—aided by slender, 3-inch-long leaves that taper into coiling, grasping tendrils—can fan out to about 6 feet high and 3 feet wide on supports such as a fence or trellis.
The cultivar “Rothschildiana” is a real showstopper with its flowers’ slender, wavy, 3-inch petals sassily showing off streaks of bright crimson edged in sharp yellow, daring passersby not to notice. To add even more interest to such simmering colors, its reflexed petals look like they are being fluttered backward by a breeze.
During the spring, it is not uncommon to find this diva-in-the-dirt in the bulb sections at local garden centers. Online ordering is obviously another option, with e-nurseries such as Ty Ty (tytyga.com) and Terra Ceia (terraceiafarms.com) being two good regional sources.
If, in your searching, you come across a cultivar named “Lutea,” it is another glory lily selection also worth considering. Rather than being bedecked in bicolor bling, its flowers shine in a singular, sizzling yellow.
Naturally, the more blooms a glory lily produces, the greater the glory. This is best done by planting it in well-drained, organically enriched soil in a sunny location that fades into the shade on hot summer afternoons. Including monthly feedings of a diluted, low-nitrogen fertilizer will also increase its flower power.
And while fellow gardeners will be attracted to your glory lily in full bloom, deer will stay away because it is on their “icky” list. Also, it’s rarely pounced upon by diseases or bad bugs.
This fancy vine from the African tropics is rated hardy up to USDA Zone 8, which includes most of South Carolina. However, if you live in the Upstate and worry the region’s coldest nights might bite your beauty, glory lily will also grow well in a large container, which, of course, can be brought inside for the winter after its spent foliage has been cut back in late autumn.
March in the garden
• Early-bird veggie gardeners can jump into the new growing season this month by planting cabbage, kale, carrots, turnips, lettuce, mustard, beets, broccoli, leeks, collards, onions, potatoes, spinach and/or radishes.
• If you are preparing garden trellises for annual ornamental or vegetable plants, why not add a more vibrant zing to the structures? While common white string will work as supports for vines, so will any of the many colorful yarns that can be found at local craft stores.
Tip of the month
What color would you like your hydrangea’s flowers to be? Many cultivars of the common French hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla) are sensitive to soil pH, so in beds limed to the point of becoming alkaline (pH 7 or more), their blossoms turn deep pink. In acidic soils (pH 6 or less) or areas treated with sulfur or an aluminum sulfate solution, the flowers trend toward sky blue hues. In neutral soil (pH 6 to 7), they can even settle into shades of purple. Such color shifting will be faster if your French hydrangea is grown in the confines of a planter or large pot.
L.A. JACKSON is the former editor of Carolina Gardener magazine. Contact him at lajackson1@gmail.com.