Evening star., 1939-11-04
Peruvian
Daff0dil
Lovely
Little'Known Bulb
Is Usually Listed
By Name 'Ismene'
BY THE MASTER GARDENER.


This beautiful and unusual sum-
mer Towering bulb was flrst called
to my attention by an enthusiastic
gardening friend who asked me to
identify 1t. He had grown it for
years in his garden, and had been
so besieged by friends for Offsets
Of the bulbs ss they formed (Which
was slowly in his soil, he told mel
that he was eager to know the cor.
rect name and to locate a source Of
supply from which he could obtain
bulbs to give to admiring friends
when his surplus ran out, as 1t 20
often did.
And here is a good example of
how common names become dis
torted when passed from gardener
to gardener orally, and the impor-
tance Of having the correct botani. i,
cal names Of all flowers. Here Is
the name he game me, which was
the closest he had come to idenu-
flying the plant: "Isham lily"
He described 1t to me In detail,
and the method Of culture he used.
He said it had beautiful, fragrant,
pure white lily-like bloom, with q
beautiful fringed cup; that he
planted the bulbs in the open
ground after danger of frost was
over-a little prior to the time he
planted his dahlia bulbs. After
planting, the growth appeared very
soon, and was extremely rapid.
Blooms appeared almost as soon as
the top growth. Blooms lasted quite
a while, and even after they were
gone the foliage remained attrac-
tive all during the growing season
and remained green until frost. In
his soil the bulb multiplied rather
slowly, averaging two new offshoots
per season. The bulbs were lifted
after the first killing frost, usually
about October, and care was needed
in digging-it was necessary to dig
deeply or one would split the bulbs.
Bulbs were stored in q dry, warm
place.
Well, to make a long story short,
although his description was com.
plete, 1t was also new one on me,
and finally had to write to Q
grower Of unusual plants, who with.
out any hesitancy gave me the
proper Identification.
Since then, though I have never
seen 1t widely grown, I have seen
listings and illustrations in numer.
GUS catalogues, though no descrip-
ton could begin to match the en-.
thusiasm Of my gardener friend for
this flower.
And now having grown 1t and
seen 1t, I share his enthusiasm and
deem 1t worthy Of special article.
that many more gardeners may be-
come acquainted with this gem Of
summer Towering bulbs.
For you thorough gardeners here
is little further information on
its botanical classification, it, his.
tory and habits:
Common names: Ismene, Peruvian
daffodil basket flower.
Botanical name: Hymenocallis
calathina. Listed in catalogues usu-
ally as ismene.
1t is q native of South America
and is species of spider lily.
Blooms consist of large, fragrant,
amaryllis-like white flowers with
apple green markings in the throat,
borne three or four on stem.
All cultural directions stress that
bulbs should be stored in q warm,
dry place. One grower who en-
thuses about this flower says he
keeps his bulbs alongside the fur.
mace all winter, and that the roots
are also left on the bulbs after dig
ging. Peat moss is a good medium
IN which to store the bulbs.
This Is plant that likes to be
well fed, so when planting mix
about one teaspoonful of complete
plant food with the loose soil In
the bottom of the hole, and also
scatter q little plant food In a
circle away from the foliage and
bloom stalk when they appear, work.
ing the plant food into the soil and
watering in well.
A nttle-known fact is that these
bulbs can also be forced for indoor
bloom and make almost unbeliev.
ably rapid growth when so grown.
Early in the winter, If you desire
to try Towering the plant In the
house, remove the dried roots from
the stored bulbs, but do not remove
the fleshy roots. for they furnish
food to the bulb when 1t starts
growth. Pot in . soil that has
plenty Of humus and about q tea.
spoonful Of complete. balanced plant
food mixed thoroughly In the soil.
Provide good drainage in the pot.
Set the bulb at . depth Of 3 inches.
Water somewhat sparingly until
growth starts. Increase water as
growth advances. Keep in . sunny
window. With bulbs that are forced,
after bloom, remove the flower stalk
but keep the bulbs growing, setting
outdoors as soon as danger Of heavy
frost is over. Dig in autumn at
same time outdoor Towering bulbs
are dug.