Oxblood lilies are up
Weekend showers enticed the oxblood lilies (Rhodophiala bifida ) into opening their red trumpets. “Fall is coming!” they announce. For this reason alone, I’d have them in my garden.
Luckily there are other reasons too. As MSS at Zanthan Gardens told me when she passed along a sackful of bulbs, they are super easy to grow in Austin, even in shade, and require no care other than division every so often. Which gives me another reason to like them—they’re something I can share with others.
But the reason I like them best is that they’re red, and they mix beautifully in my red-and-purple woodland garden under the cedar elm. In this photo, red Turk’s cap (Malvaviscus arboreus ) occupies the high space, purple heart (Setcreasea pallida ) the middle, and oxblood lilies the ground level.
And here, purple oxalis (Oxalis regnellii ‘Atropurpurea’) takes the place of purple heart.
Nearby, pale pavonia (Pavonia hastata ) and ‘Indigo Spires’ salvia play off that red-and-purple theme too.
Beautiful gardens. I enjoy seeing how people in other climates garden. And the word that came to my mind when I first saw your garden was WOW!
Thanks for stopping by, Dirty Knees. I enjoy glimpses into other regions’ gardens too. What in the world did people do for that fix before the internet? 🙂 —Pam
Oxblood lilies… another flower I was unaware of that won’t grow in my zone that I now want. Wonder how it would do in a container?
Carol at May Dreams Gardens (where it is still hot and dry like… Texas, but still Zone 5.)
Actually, it has been cool and wet in this part of Texas this week—actually, all summer. OK, cooler than normal anyway. Today I was talking to a nurserywoman who’s lived here since the 1970s, and she can’t recall another summer like this one. Me either, although I’ve only been here since 1994.
Oxblood lilies are so easy that I’m guessing they’d do fine in a container. The only difficulty might be in finding them. MSS says they’re hard to come by, and expensive. When is your next road trip to Austin? 😉 Good luck, and let me know what happens. —Pam
Hi, I notice your “Turk’s Cap” in this photo. Mine is looking very ragged and tired. I’ve never had trouble with this before and wonder what it’s problem might be. It may be pest, but also it is usually a deeper greener and denser growth. Any ideas? Oh and where did you find the WHITE turk’s cap. I love it in your previous posts.
I got the white Turk’s cap from Barton Springs Nursery, I think. A ragged and tired Turk’s cap just sounds thirsty to me, especially if it’s in the sun. But I suppose it could be many other things. Readers with Turk’s cap: any other ideas? —Pam
We were driving up MoPac to 183 on Sunday about 4PM and it was just pouring at your house! I noticed Camp Mabry got 1.78 inches of rain where south at the airport got a mere .06 inches. I think Zanthan Gardens was about halfway between, in location and amount of rain.
Quite a few of my oxblood lilies opened today, too. We got more rain today so they had a soggy start. But they love to be wet while they’re blooming. I still have unplanted ones from my division last year. I’ll have to send some to Carol.
We were driving home from south Austin at that time. My garden ended up with about an inch of rain that day.
Boy, will Carol be happy to read your comment. —Pam
I was going to order Oxblood lilies this year but I forgot! What a great picture, now I’m kicking myself.
Yes they are expensive, but you can order genuine TX-grown heirlooms from Southern Bulbs. I’ve never ordered from them, but I read an interesting article about them in the NY Times — they seem worthy of support.
Thanks for the lead on Southern Bulbs. I hadn’t heard of them, but they look like a good source. —Pam
My street didn’t have more than a dribble of rain last weekend, Pam, but did get an inch this week… and there are now points shooting up from my Oxblood lily bulbs, too. I was getting worried!
My white Turks Cap came from Natural Gardener.
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
I’m glad you got some rain before it dried up. Bring on the oxblood lily photos from your garden. —Pam