Hymalayan Lily

Okay, so I bought one of these from the garden centre (£9.99 ) planted it in a not too hot spot as directed but it appears to be doing not very well, the green glossy leaves have gone 'veiny' and there isn't much sign of growth.
So I've pulled it up and put it in a big pot in a bid to save it.
The question is . . . have I done the right thing or not?

 

If you managed not to disturb the roots you`ve dove the right thing , if you have removed all the soil then you have done the wrong thing , Himalayan Lily are not an easy lily , it will may take up to 3 years and a long summer before you will see flowering , but in warmer part of England they are flowering with no problem , they need a bit of warm ....I would personally grown in a pot and kept in the greenhouse , plus apparently it`s a magnetic for pest .

 

Cheers sal, looks like I did the right thing all we need now is a bit of sunshine!

 

I had a similar lily which took nearly 4 years to flower. But when it did flower it wasn't the most colourful in the world but it was very impressive. The flower only lasted a short while. Then it died ! Not sure if that was down to my bad gardening practice or wether it was supposed to die after flowering ? There was a mass of seeds but I didn't think to keep them at the time.
Good luck with yours.
gazania

 

hardly worth the wait by the sounds of it!

 

Very interesting link, cheers

 

Yes really interesting link in deed , up to 7 years to flower!!! long time ago i was about to start one , then read a review of someone who was waiting for 3 years and didn`t manage to see to flower because she was on holiday and even they joy of a foliage plant was ruined by the lily beetles . Over all If i had a bigger garden i would sure grow one and wait 7 years , that is what it make this plant so special i suppose.
Meanwhile if giant lily is what you are looking for try tree lily from T&M many of us have them and they flowering every year before reaching 8 feet.


or lily big brother

 

haha brilliant

 

For anyone in the North-East, some have started flowering at The Alnwick Garden. Cardiocrinum giganteum var. Yunnanense

 

Cardiocrinum is monocarpic, but produces offsets readily. They'll take two or three years to bloom or seven years(ish) from seed.
Fully hardy, BUT must be in very free draining soil or they will rot and die.
Absolutely worth growing. The blooms last about a week, and are super fragrant.

 

So let me get this right...I've paid a tenner for a plant that will flower once then die?

 

No - you've paid a tenner for a plant that will grow, produce babies, at some point (maybe not this year by the sounds of it) flower, and then it will die. A couple of sprogs per bulb and it soon multiplies.