My employer saw a beautiful flower in Savannah, Georgia last week, fell in love with it and has asked me to try to source it for her for the deck at our office in Toronto. We’ve found out it’s Hymenocallis narcissiflora, commonly known as Peruvian daffodil lily, basket lily and spider lily. I’ve called all the garden centres I can think of and no one has any knowledge of it. Is it not able to be grown here, or would you know if there’s a nursery that specializes in these rarer plants for our climate? Any leads would be much appreciated.
You’ve got your eye on a stunning bloom! The Peruvian daffodil (Hymenocallis narcissifoli) grow from bulbs that are planted in the spring, rather than in the fall, and unfortunately this type of summer flowering bulb is not widely sold in garden centers. You may want to look at mail-order suppliers but also visit the Landscape Ontario site for a comprehensive list of garden centres in your area. Very early spring would be the best time of year to look for these bulbs at garden centres.
In warmer climates Peruvian daffodils can be left in the ground year round but in colder climates, like Toronto, the bulbs will need to be dug up before the first expected frost in the fall. These daffodils can also be easily grown in containers. For instructions on how to store these bulbs over winter review the instructions from the University of Minnesota Extension for Storing tender bulbs and bulblike structures.
Good luck finding these beautiful treasures for your office deck!
