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DESCRIPTION:

X Herbertii is an old favorite hybrid crinum often found at old homesites and in cemeteries, since they are very long-lived bulbs. We grow about 25 different versions of Herbertii. They are all nice but each one has its own special charm. Herbertii 'Toast of Texas' is one of our most rewarding forms. It has a great flower umble where most of the blossoms open at the same time, and the color is great. It is a very heavy bloomer and a real eye-catcher. We have recorded blooms from April through July. We have observed as many as 16 flowers on scapes to 34" tall. Our largest bulbs have measured 5 1/2" in diameter. It offsets moderately with a mature bulb producing several offsets each year. In about 5 years one large bulb could result in a very impressive grouping.

Most herbertii clones have white blooms with light pink stripes. These are commonly called "milk & wine lilies" but so are other crinum such as C. scabrum. Only a few herbertii have the dark red color like crinum scabrum. The pink stripes are darker towards the center of the flower and fade as they approach the edges (a trait that is reversed in hybrid bulbs that have C. zeylanicum as a parent where the stripe is darkest and widest at the tips of the flower and fades towards the center).

We grow over 1000 different crinum, including about 350 of our own hybrids, and the herbertii are among the most reliable.

BACKGROUND:

Herbertii is a cross of two crinum species (C. scabrum X C. bulbispermum) which was originally done by Dean Herbert in 1819. Many crosses followed and now exist in many forms. This bulb was received in trade in 2003 from a nursery owner in North Carolina. The bulb he started with was dug from a very old garden by his mother in about 1990 on her farm property in Texas (thus the name we gave it a few years later, 'Toast of Texas").

GROWING INSTRUCTIONS:

Herbertii flowers typically appear as early as late April and bloom through July (a few can bloom into the Fall) here in northeast Florida, zone 9. This is a very hardy, prolific and easy to grow bulb requiring no special care. It tolerates a wide range of soils (but prefers rich soil), extended dry periods, and will tolerate freezing weather to zone 6 if the bulb is planted deeply and heavily mulched in the winter. Bulbs can survive nicely out of the ground for very extended periods if allowed to dry. They prefer full sun, but partial shade is OK. They will also make excellent, large container plants.

DESCRIPTION OF ITEM FOR BID:

You are bidding on a small-size bulb at least 1 year old and about 1/2 - 1" in diameter which should bloom within 3 years. They don't like being disturbed, so it could take one year to "settle in." Bulbs will be freshly dug, shipped bare root and with leaves March-November. In the winter months the leaves may be absent.

WE SIZE OUR BULBS APPROXIMATELY BY AGE AS FOLLOWS: A few varieties can take 6 years or more to bloom.

Jumbo bulb – has bloomed at least 2 years, close to the maximum size for that particular plant (6+ years old)

Large bulb - should bloom this year or next (3+ years old, close to, or at blooming size)

Medium bulb - should bloom in 1-2 years (at least 2 years old)

Small bulb - should bloom 2-4 years (current year or 1-2 year old offset)

Seedling bulb - started from seed (usually in its first year of growth unless otherwise stated)

PHOTOS/ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

These are pictures of our plants, so you know exactly what they look like and what you will receive. The photos show the plant in various stages of growth. Please feel free to contact us for additional information, and click on "Me" following our star rating. Also, we invite you to go to our store (little red door) and look at other items we have for sale.