Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Ismene

The first time I've read about this plant in January this year, when I got the bulb as a gift. The large bulb was called Ismene festalis (Hymenocallis festalis), unusual flower was depicted in the picture. It's common name is "Spider Lily". I learned that at the top of each flower stalk (height of 45-60 cm) can be up to 6 fragrant white flowers in diameter of 10-15 cm. Minimum temperature for the plant growth is necessary +13 C.
It's  necessary to water the plant sparingly before the appearance of green leaves, and watering has to be stopped when the leaves start to wither in the fall. I decided to grow Ismene in the garden container. Ismene comes from the hot and humid subtropics, where drought lasts for two months. They can be grown outdoors from spring to autumn.




I put the container in a warm place in my greenhouse, planted bulb in the second half of April. Since early May, the container was standing in a sunny spot of the garden. Although it’s written that Ismene usually blooms in the open air in early June, my Ismene bloomed on May 19. The first bud appeared and opened on a high spike.


The next day, a second bud opened. It was a miracle! I've never seen such flowers.


Finally the third bud has opened today at the morning! Flowers smell great. The smell is very pleasant, like the smell of lily of the valley

 What reminds you this? Perhaps antennae of the butterfly?
 And this reminds me of a white swan wings.
 And these are probably dancing ballerinas, their flowing hands in a dance.
However, in early September, I should dig up the bulbs and put Ismene in a pot with slightly damp peat that the roots of bulb would not dry and store it in a cool place. This period of rest is required in order of the plant could bloom again next year.

Did you know this plant? Do you grow it in your garden? How do you store Ismene in cold season?

56 comments:

  1. WAU - where a beautiful flower. Do not think I've seen it before. Wish you a good Wednesday :) Hugs Hanne Bente
    PS! rain here today + ONLY 9.0 degrees

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hanne Bente!
      This flower was a discovery for me too.
      Your rainy and cool weather came here as well. We had very sunny days before. I think the sun shines in your sky now. Thank you!

      Delete
  2. Such gorgeous flower!!!! And you made the most beautiful pictures of it! And it's so sunny in your pictures!!!! I really long for some sun over here. It's been cold and windy with rain all the time, and grey, not at all spring weather. From tomorrow, temps will even drop more and go below 10°C. I don't get this weather anymore. Feels like we're living in a bubble and the sun can't get through.

    I really enjoyed your beautiful pictures of this extraordinary flower I had never heard of.

    Bye,
    Marian

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The spring is unpredictable this year! We've had lots some sunny weeks this May, but today is the first cool +12C day and rain all day. I think we'll finally have nice summer on our Baltic sea!
      Thank you, Marian!

      Delete
  3. Hi Nadezda, I have grown Ismene once before, they came up with those beautiful flowers, but there was no instructions about taking the bulbs up in the winter for growing here in Britain so I left them in the ground. They didn't come up the next year, the bulbs had rotted in the ground. I have nowhere to store bulbs in the winter so Ismene is not for me, even though it has beautiful flowers!
    Love your photos :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Helene, this is a big problem with storing of tropical plants, as gladioli, crown anemone, calla, canna, etc.
      I have all of them and plus Ismene now. I love Ismene beautiful scent and will try to store them all in cool place, but every year it's more difficult.
      Thank you!

      Delete
  4. No conocía esta preciosa flor. Los macros son espectaculares.Gracias Nadezda por por compartir por dentro y por fuera, toda su belleza .
    Un beso.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yo trataba de mostrar esta flor tan dulce y extrana. Gracias, laura.M!

      Delete
  5. It's beautiful! I have not heard of that plant either. If it's a tropical bulb I'd guess you have to dig it up and store in sand for the winter. The flower is so lovely, it would be worth growing even as an annual.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rebecca, I think to store it the same way, in moist sand and peat.Thank you for your advice!

      Delete
  6. Welcome Nadezda!
    Ismene is a beautiful flower ... It looks like a bird of paradise or perhaps ethereal butterfly ...
    The bulbs are very fragile and must be stowed for the winter.
    I send greetings.
    Lucia

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love your words: like a bird of paradise!
      Very unusual flower. Thank you, Lucia!

      Delete
  7. So beautiful your swan wings and graceful dancers! I grew this once in a pot and loved the fragrance but forgot to bring the pot inside for the winter and it perished.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Peter, I promise not to forget to put Ismene inside in cool place, because the Jack frost in strong here.
      Thank you!

      Delete
  8. I have that plant in my garden. I bring in the bulbs in the Fall and replant then in late May. The flowers are exciting! I have some posted back in my archives. Very nice. I enjoyed my visit today. Jack

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jack, I haven't read your post about Ismene, will look for in your archives. Is it the white or another color?
      Thank you!

      Delete
  9. Dear Nadezda,
    A very interesting flower. I have not heard of it before but I asked AGA and he has heard of it. It smells of Lily of the Valley? That is a very nice scent so I am going to make a note of this flower for when we finally have our own garden!
    Bye for now and I hope your week is going well,
    Kirk

    PS
    My favourite lily is lilium candidum. It also has a wonderful scent.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kirk, the scent is wonderful, I love Lily candidum, and had it in my garden but it didn't come in the next spring, I had to dig it and store inside. The way I need to store Ismene.
      Thank you!

      Delete
  10. Such a beautiful flower! Your photos of it are just gorgeous. And I loved your description of it being like a dancing ballerina. I have never grown this plant before, but I hope you have good luck with it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I do hope too, Holley!
      This lily looks like many nice things, I imagined the ballerinas...
      Thank you!

      Delete
  11. I was already thinking how beautiful this flower is thanks to your photos, but now you say it smells like lily of the valley - I'm sold!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ha, ha! This flower was discovery and when the second and the third buds opened, it was a very strong scent!
      Thank you, Rosemary!

      Delete
  12. Such an extraordinary lily! Beautiful! Happy gardening, Nadezda!

    ReplyDelete
  13. I had this bulb a year ago. What a flowers and fragance this beauty brings. Wonderful photographs Nadezda

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm glad you had this plant too! Thank you, marijke!

      Delete
  14. What a beautiful flower Nadezda!!I think i can smell it!!!Great photos and wonderful macro shots!
    Have a lovely week!
    Dimi..

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, Dimi, Ismene smells lovely!
      Thank you!

      Delete
  15. Ismene looks very special.
    Have a nice weekend!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Hello Nadezda girl !
    I haven't heard of this flower but it is gorgeous!! .. I wish I could smell it too .. it must be wonderful.
    It looks like so many different things .. from butterflies .. to swan wings .. very delicate and stunning.
    Quite a change from day to day plants we have eh ? LOL
    Joy : )

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's true, Joy! Every day there are some changes in the garden. this Ismene looks like many things..
      Thank you!

      Delete
  17. Swan wings and ballerinas! How unusual and interesting this beautiful lily is. I have not seen it before, so I have no advice on caring for it over winter, but I do hope you can keep it. That is a fascinating plant : )

    ReplyDelete
  18. A beautiful plant and beautiful images, Nadezda! Your description reminds me of ballerinas in "Swan Lake." I've never grown this before, so I do hope it continues to do well for you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, I think about ballerines too. Very graceful is.
      Thank you!

      Delete
  19. Tienes toda la razón ... tan preciosa como a la cola del Pavo:))
    Buen fin de semana.
    Un beso.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Gorgeous photos! Love your photo always, especially the new top title one*) Is it rose? I have the similar one, "Rosa mulliganii" Have a lovely weekend!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm glad you liked my new header. It's a blooming blackthorn, the small tree like a plum tree. I planted it 6 years ago and this year it seems will have some berries:)). I saw in wiki about "Rosa mulliganii", the blackthorn is very similar to this rose!
      Thank you, Keity!

      Delete
  21. Spider lilies are commonly planted here for landscaping, but your version is prettier with the frilly edge. Beautiful captures.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Wow, Nadezhda, what an accomplished gardener you are! These flowers look so unusual, and I remember them being very fragrant too. I hope they continue to bloom for you in future.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, Masha, I have no such experience in gardening. Now I'm waiting for the second spike of Ismene.
      Thank you!

      Delete
  23. Not that species but I do have a Hymenocallis native to the southeastern US in my garden. It's such a unique and beautiful genus.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's interestingly! So a Hymenocallis isn't only tropical plant, it's native in the Southeastern US.
      Thank you, sweetbay!

      Delete
  24. What a beautiful plant! I love those flowers! I really like the jagged edges. It's so much prettier than a regular spider lily.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tammy, I think both - the Ismene and Spider Lily are pretty flowers.
      Thank you1

      Delete
  25. What a beautiful flower! I am not familiar with this bulb at all. Your photographs are wonderful Nadezda!

    ReplyDelete
  26. Hi Nadezda
    What a gorgeous flower!! Your photos show it off beautifully. I have not grown it but now, after seeing yours, would certainly give it a try.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Astrid,
      I'm glad I tried to grow Ismene, it deserves to be in our gardens.
      Thank you!

      Delete
  27. Sadly, not a clue what it is or how best to take care of it, but it is lovely. It looks far too exotic to be hardy !!

    ReplyDelete
  28. Such a beautiful bloom that I have never seen... glorious!

    ReplyDelete
  29. I’ve never heard the name before. It probably wouldn’t survive in the UK.
    It is stunningly beautiful, take good care of it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, it wouldn't survive in a soil in winter, so I will store it in a pot in winter.
      Thank you, Frico!

      Delete

Thank you for stopping by Nadezda's Northern Garden blog!
I'm glad to read your friendly comments very much.
Feel free to comment on the posts or photos
I warmly welcome the new followers on my blog.