Gloriosa rothschildiana
This photo is a nice representation of the plant - it really is that beautiful!
The exact flower coloring is fairly variable and most times the lower part of the petals
have more yellow with more red creeping in further along the petal. I grew it
for the first time in 2005 and I don't see myself without them ever again.
For growing year 2007 I acquired a cultivar called 'Lemon Sherbet' which opens with almost
white flowers that quickly turn a rich yellow color. There is no red at all.
Gloriosa rothschildiana is native to India and is hardy in USDA zones 8 - 11.
Some of the cultural directions I read said
to grow them in partial shade, but I potted mine up and set them on the greenhouse bench and left
them there, in full sun, all summer. They thrived and bloomed like crazy. The literature also
claimed that they'd reach 3 or 4 feet high. Apparently my tubers were illiterate because they all
grew to nearly 8 feet high. They climbed nearly to the ridge of the greenhouse.
Maybe in hotter climates they'll need more shade, but in Connecticut they seem to take full sun
with no trouble. They were very heat tolerant for me, too. Even with both 24" exhaust fans running my
greenhouse regularly reaches over 95 and they were just fine.
In 2006 I grew them outdoors, both in pots and in the ground. Both groups did extremely well but those
in the ground developed larger tubers. However, in exchange for the larger tubers I was
presented with a much more difficult digging problem (they're hard to find and dig
without damage) and frequent evidence of subterrainian terrorist activity (someone munched
on the tubers)! I recommend growing them in large pots.
In addition to how beautiful the flowers are, they're a great buy. For each plant you grow this year
you'll have two to grow next year. You will receive one tuber that will be mostly long and
straight. Plant it horizontally, 2 or 3 inches deep. When you dig or unpot the tuber
in the fall it will be shaped like a "V". When you replant in the spring you can separate that
into two tubers, then next year you'll have four... One of mine even produced three last year.
Please see the Gloriosa culture sheet - listed on the left - for more details.
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