Peruvian Daffodil

While walking through a local box store, I passed the rack where they had a few flower bulbs still left.  So I rummaged through to see what they might have.  That's when I found a bag of Peruvian Daffodils;  the picture was interesting and since I did not know a thing about this bulb, I had to buy it and take it home.

Once I had it home I opened the bag and found 3 medium-size bulbs in it and very little information about them on the package.  So to the Internet I went.  What I found is that Peruvian Daffodil, Hymenocallis is not a true daffodil, but it does belong to the daffodil and amaryllis family.

When it did bloom it had a slight fragrance with white blossoms that looked like a large spider, in fact, its common name is “Spider Lily”.

They are a spring blooming plant, the soil should be kept moist not wet, so in the spring watering one a week should work.  Fertilizer will encourage them to spread.  If you are lucky enough to have several come up in the spring, after blooming and the leaves die back, they should be separated so they don't get overcrowded, otherwise, they will not bloom.  They grow about 24 inches tall and can spread 6-12 inches wide.  If you decided to dig them up in the fall, be sure to keep the bulbs where children and pets can't get to them as the bulbs are poisonous.

If they do propagate, next spring I hope to have more than the 3.

Peruvian Daffodil pic

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