Giant Himalayan Lily
(Cardiocrinum giganteum)
In woodland conditions these spectacular lilies will naturalise, spreading prolifically by seed. Moisture, shade and plenty of leaf mould is all they require - cold does not affect them at all.
Flower stalks can grow up to 3.5m tall. The spectacular flowers are extremely fragrant, but you don't need a step ladder to climb up to smell them as their perfume wafts some distance on calm, warm days. The bulb takes up to 7 years to flower from seed and then promptly dies
, though newly formed bulbs around its base continue as the next generation.
