Plant This: Awash in blazing red oxblood lilies
Their little, green noses were just beginning to poke up last week, and a few early birds had already bloomed and faded. And then three and a half inches of rain soaked into the soil last weekend, and yesterday—like magic!—the oxblood lilies (Rhodophiala bifida) were standing at attention, each clump a cheery bouquet of red trumpets accented with yellow stamens.
I might have missed them entirely except that I followed our dog Cosmo into the back garden, taking a break from the computer, and the blaze of crimson made me stop and gasp—and run back inside for my camera.
The flowers are sturdy, but they don’t last more than a couple of days. So enjoy them when you see them! To paraphrase Robert Herrick, “Gather ye lilies while ye may, old time is still a-flying; And the same flower that smiles today tomorrow will be dying.”
Native to Argentina, oxblood lilies were introduced to Texas by German settlers. As with the Germans, they found central Texas to their liking. They naturalize well here, hiding out during the hot, dry summer and popping up with the first rains of fall.
Oxblood lilies make great passalong plants, and you’ll often see them blooming in older Austin neighborhoods. They like well-drained soil and sun to part sun. Mine are definitely blooming better where they get more sun.
If you live in zones 7-10, give them a try; currently you can find them online at The Southern Bulb Co.
Divide them every few years, after the blooms fade, to increase your supply. The strappy leaves, which appear after the flowers finish their show, stay green all winter but die back when the heat returns. Tucked away in summer dormancy, oxblood lilies will return with the fall rains.
Note: My Plant This posts are written primarily for gardeners in central Texas. The plants I recommend are ones I’ve grown myself and have direct experience with. I wish I could provide more information about how these plants might perform in other parts of the country, but gardening knowledge is local. Consider checking your local online gardening forums to see if a particular plant might work in your region.
All material © 2006-2012 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
Gorgeous bright accent, love how their appearance changes the picture for just a few days.
Yes, I think I enjoy them even more knowing they’re here for only a little while. —Pam
Beautiful reminder that fall is on the way. I think you have yours perfectly placed where they get a little support. Mine are very droopy but I think this is the year to divide as they have been in the ground more than 4 years.
The support does seem to help, although some of the bloom stalks get held down or contorted by the small yuccas and aloes that are sitting on top of them. That wasn’t really intentional. I’d dug up a lot of oxbloods from my old garden before I moved and just stuck them in the front border of that bed before I’d figured out what to plant there. So new plants went in on top, and I kept forgetting that the bulbs were there until I hit one with my shovel. It’ll be hard to divide some of these without messing with the root zone of the plants on top, so some will be left to naturalize on their own. —Pam
Those pops of color look really REALLY pretty Pam!
Thanks, Heather. Gotta love a pop of red, right? —Pam
I received some pass-along oxblood lilies from the Bryan (TX) Cemetery this spring. They’re poking their heads out — waiting anxiously for blooms in San Antonio.
One morning you’ll look out, and there they’ll be. Once they decide to go, they really go. —Pam
I love these lilies…I see them all over Austin in the older neighborhoods and have always wondered what they were.
I’ve seen them all around town too this week, Nan. So pretty! —Pam
I still cannot believe I do not have any, not one, and I really like the blood red look and the fact that they are fleeting…always enjoy these sort of surprises in the garden. They would look great dotted inside an artemesia bed. Great pictures Pam.
That just won’t do, ESP. I will divide some this fall and give you a start. You need them. —Pam
What a fun surprise! They are especially stunning with the blue pots for contrast! Happy late summer!
Thanks, Peter. Down here in the South, I like to think of it as happy fall (wink)! —Pam
Thank’s for this great post! I did not know this stunning lilies. I definitely have to try them!
have a nice day