Gloriosa Lily Rothschildiana Care

Flame Lily Care – How to Grow A Gloriosa Lily Climbing Plant Vine

Gloriosa Superba is a flowering plant that belongs to Colchicaceae family. This plant is commonly referred to as the flame lily, glory lily, fire lily and Gloriosa lily. This ornamental claw like flower plant is also known for its long history of medicinal values, we won’t name them because all of this plant is poisonous. This perennial herb grows from tubers. The stem of the Flame lily reaches up to 4 metres in length and it climbs using its tendrils. The leaves are arranged alternately, but they can also be seen arranged oppositely. The leaves are tipped at the end with tendrils that can grow up to 13 to 16 centimetres long. The plant grows and flowers during the summer months. The flowers are showy and have six tepals that are about 5 to 7.5 centimetres long. These herbs look very beautiful and attractive and are very easy to grow. Each tuber usually produces at least 5 flowers. These type of vines are low climbing herbs that produce lily-like flowers and are suited to grow in pots. Gloriosa Superba Rothschildiana is a national flower of Zimbabwe.

Growing Gloriosa lily

The Gloriosa lily produces yellow and red coloured flowers that come with petals that curl backwards. They reach heights of about 8 feet and need a wall or trellis to climb.

The following is the procedure to follow to grow these flame lilies.

• Plant Gloriosa Lily plants in spring after the danger of all frosts has passed.
• Find a warm, well drained location out in your garden to plant the flame lily. The area must receive at least 5 to 6 hours of sunlight every day.
• If the soil where you are going to grow Gloriosa lily is clayey, then you should build a raised planter to grow the lily.
• Prepare the soil by tilling it to a depth of 8 inches and then adding a generous amount of organic compost like well rotted manure or peat moss of about 2 inches to the soil. This will help in providing better aeration and drainage for the plant. Gloriosa lilies prefer neutral or alkaline soil.
• The hole that you dig to plant the lily must be about 3 to 4 inches in depth. If you are planting a lot of lilies together, then space them about 8 to 12 inches apart.
• Placing a 6 to 8 foot long trellis is necessary before planting the climbing lilies. Ensure that the trellis is well secured and will not fall and topple down while the lilies are actively growing on the trellis.
• The Gloriosa lily tuber has to be placed in the dug up hole horizontally. Ensure that the growing tip of the tuber is not damaged.
• Once placed, cover the tuber with 3 or 4 inches of soil and then tamp the soil gently. Water in the tubers well to remove any air pockets in the soil. Water well to settle the soil around the tubers.
• Add 4 inches of mulch over the garden bed in order to prevent evaporation of water and to maintain the perfect moisture level for the plant to grow.

Care should be taken to keep the ground around the Gloriosa lily tubers moist until the new shoots appear. After a few weeks, you can reduce watering to once a week. Gloriosa lilies grow well in a shade house and where they will receive morning sun and afternoon shade when it is hot.

Storing Gloriosa lily

The tubers can be lifted and stored in pots or in a moist peat moss during the winter season. It is necessary that they be stored in a cool and dark place during winter. They need 6 to 8 weeks of rest period and ensure that the tuber does not get dry during the storing period. They will not be able to handle freezing conditions and plant them again during the spring time.