Crinum species L-N are found on this wiki page.
Crinum species A-B - Crinum species C-J - Crinum species O-Z - Crinum species Index - Crinum hybrids Index
Crinum latifolium this is a form found growing in locations in south Florida. It is often considered a pale form of C. zeylanicum but differs from the darker C. zeylanicum in several ways. The plant is small compared to other Crinum and is much more low and spreading in growth with a tidy rosette. It has the strong rib on the underside the foliage The short leaves form a rosette almost flattened on the ground and is similar to the C. album in texture and habit. The flower scapes are glaucous, only slightly pigmented, and to 60 cm tall. Flowers open in the late afternoon and are quite fragrant while open at night. However, they only last a night & are wilted by dawn of the next morning. This unlike the dark C. zeylanicum form which looks good for 2-3 days. The flowers in bud have a pale pink stripe outside, the interiors may have a pink stripe as well or may be pure white. This species sets seeds easily, whether selfed or cross pollinated. It is possible that this form, whatever its true origins, is involved in the mysterious origins of some classic hybrids such as Peachblow, Alamo Village, & Louis Bosanquet. The third picture was taken at 7:00 AM demonstrating one of the drawbacks of this type. Photos by Alani Davis.
Crinum ligulatum is native to Madagascar. It has narrow, spreading, arching foliage that is medium flat green and white salverform flowers with burgundy stamens tipped with deep red-orange pollen covered anthers. Photos by Alani Davis.
Crinum lineare is native to South Africa. Photos by Cameron McMaster.
Crinum lugardiae is a nice species, small compared to other Crinum. The short leaves form a rosette almost flattened on the ground and the flower stalks are short too, no more than 30cm tall. Flowers open at late afternoon and are very scented. The flowers in bud have a nice reddish stripe outside, which almost disappears as the flowers open, the interiors are pure white. This species sets seeds easily, whether selfed or cross pollinated. Photos by Angelo Porcelli.
Crinum macowanii is native to South Africa and east Africa to Ethiopia. Known as the River Lily, it grows up to .9m and is found from the coast to the mountains, in grassland, rocky areas and near rivers. This species rarely offsets and is usually grown from seed. The sweetly scented flowers open in the evening and last two days. Photos #1-8 by Alani Davis. Photos #9-10 from Cameron McMaster and photo #11 from Alberto Grossi.
Photos below taken in the Eastern Cape of South Africa by Cameron McMaster, Bob Rutemoeller and Mary Sue Ittner. The last five were taken January 2010.
A pair of photos showing seeds and 4-month old seedlings. The seedlings appear after the seed has withered and fallen away fron the developing bulb, images by Byron Amerson.
Crinum mccoyi is a recently named species collected in an area of white marble outcroppings near Ambatofinandrahana, Madagascar by Tom McCoy in April 2003 . It has attractive, compact, narrow, arched foliage and spidery, white flowers with irregular pink stripes and a purplish red style and filaments. First photo taken August 2007 by Jay Yourch. The following five images by Jacob Knecht are of a plant originally obtained as an unnamed species from Itremo, Madagascar. Robert Hamilton with confirmation from Dave Lehmiller have tentatively confirmed its identity. I had the plant for 4 years but recently gifted it to a friend who has another clone, in order for it to be propagated since it appears to be self sterile. In the time that I grew it, it never went completely dormant but would start and stop at unpredictable intervals throughout the year. Depicted in the first photo is an example of this peculiar phenomenon. I called it 'pseudo-dormancy', since it would keep a core of dwarfish green leaves until it decided to burst into long strappy growth again. It bloomed just once in September of 2006. The flowers, upon opening only lasted one day. They were thin and delicate, with no detectable fragrance. Grown in Honolulu, Hawai'i.
Crinum minimum one of the very few acaulescent Crinum, is the smallest species of its genus in South Africa where it grows in the Northwest Province and must be one of the smallest worldwide. Its range also extends into Zaire, Tanzania, Angola, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Leaves 6-10cm long and 1-2mm wide with entire margins emerge from this petite bulb. This species has singular adaptations, entirely unique among RSA Crinum. It inhabits hot and dry places that have prolonged droughts where the only rain arrives via erratic thunderstorms which can occur from Oct to April (Northwest Province). The leaves behave in the manner of Ammocharis coranica, dying back if it is too dry but returning in the same season when more water is available. In addition this species will remain completely dormant and never grow leaves unless rainfall is sufficient, skipping consecutive years (Craib 1997) Crinum minimum does not form pseudostems and its leaves lay flat along the surface of the soil. Each bulb only produces one flower from which usually just 1 seed (rarely up to 3) can be produced. Even under ideal conditions, solely one flower can be produced per year. The flowers are extremely fragrant, especially upon opening at dusk. Best during the first 18 hours or so, and each flower fades completely within 36 hours of opening. The fragrance can be compared to that of Brugmansia species.
I have grown this species for a few years with excellent results on O'ahu, Hawai'i, planted in deep terracotta pots in pure horticultural pumice for good drainage and gas exchange. During active growth the plants thrived with daily hand watering in arid Kaimukī (500mm/20inches precipitation pa) and later performed just as well in humid mesic Upper Mānoa Valley with its copious rain (3550mm/140inches precipitation pa). I provide my plants with strong sun when in growth followed by an obligatory and completely dry winter rest. In habitat temperatures can fall to 0°C on winter nights yet it bloomed for me with only maximum winter lows of 13°C (55°F). It is closely related to Crinum acaule. The photos below were taken by Jacob Knecht of plants grown on O'ahu, Hawai`i.
The photos below were taken by Nhu Nguyen of a plant grown in Berkeley, CA.
Crinum moorei is native to forested areas in South Africa. It prefers shade from hot afternoon sun and may go dormant during periods of excessive summer heat or drought. Photos of a closeup of 'Alba', a clump in flower taken at an old church in Plymouth, Devon, and old tight clump originally planted in the late 19th century in Brixham, Devon by David Fenwick. The fourth photo of normal pink form by Angelo Porcelli. Angelo says the flowers are darker than shown in the photo. The last photo is a habitat picture taken near Kei Mouth, Eastern Cape by Andrew Harvie.
'Sister Teresa' appears to be a selection of C. moorei which readily produces seed. Photos by Alani Davis.
Crinum natans I'd like to tell you that this bud comes from a bulb of my collection, but it is not true. My aquatic Crinums, C. calamistratum, C. natans and C. thaianum, have not flowered until now. I took the photo in a pet shop. It is native to Tropical West Africa, Guinea. It was discovered in 1862 by G. Mann. The crinkled leaves are submerged and floating; the flowers, usually more flowers per scape, are fragrant. Photo taken on 11 July 2007 by Alberto Grossi.
Crinum species A-B - Crinum species C-J - Crinum species O-Z - Crinum species Index - Crinum hybrids Index