Climbing Lily (S)
Hardy in Zone 8
Climbing lily, also known as Gloriosa Lily, is best treated as a pot plant, spending the winter indoors and basking outdoors in summer. It climbs by tendrils to a height of 3-4 feet, sometimes 6 feet in rich soil. Provide a light support such as fencing, string or a small trellis. Use a planting mix of equal parts sand, potting soil and a peat moss. Plant one tuber in a 10"-12" pot with the growing tip just under the soil surface. It will often bloom twice a year - first at a sunny warm window in winter or spring and again during the summer outdoors.
After blooming, the plant should rest in the pot; withhold water from October through January. Bring it back into growth by watering, sparingly at first. Keep soil moist during blooming and give it full sun and warm temperatures.
If you prefer, plant the tubers directly in the garden, laying them on their sides 8"-12" apart and 4"-5" deep. In Zones 3-7, lift the tubers in fall and store indoors.
