The small but spectacular Gloriosa Lily (Gloriosa superba) is blooming at last in the Tree Grove at MOSI. Several of these plants were donated to the garden last year, and were planted on the trellis near the gazebo. This year, they are finally happy to enough to begin blooming, and the blooms were worth the wait!
Gloriosa Lily is native to Africa, and is in fact the national plant of Zimbabwe. It’s a tuberous plant, with a root that looks similar to a sweet potato. The plant itself is a “scandent” vine, meaning it climbs by leaftip tendrils. The flowers point down, with petals curving up and back, and are very long-lasting.
While becoming more popular in the nursery trade, Gloriosa Lily should be used with caution in the landscape as it is extremely poisonous. One-tenth of an ounce of the tuberous root is said to be enough to kill an adult human. All parts of the plants, including leaves, flowers, and berries, contain the chemical Colchicine, which has medical applications but is very toxic in its natural state. Do not plant Gloriosa Lily where it could be consumed by children or pets.
Gloriosa Lily can be grown outdoors in zones 9 – 10, though it may die back after a hard freeze. The University of Florida IFAS Extension has published a great article with detailed information on successfully growing Gloriosa Lily – click here to learn more if you’d like to try this species in your own yard.
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