Overview
Notholirion bulbiferum is a garden plant in the genus Notholirion, part of the Liliaceae family. It is native to Himalayas.
About
Notholirion bulbiferum is a bulbous member of the lily family (Liliaceae) from the Himalayas that flowers in April to May. Individual bulbs produce basal leaves through autumn and winter, then a single flowering event before the original bulb dies back after setting offsets. The bulb is protected by a tunic and propagates by those offsets rather than repeated flowering by the parent bulb.
About the genus
Notholirion is a small Asian genus of bulbous plants in the lily family, Liliaceae. It is closely related to Lilium, but each individual flowers only once, and then dies after producing offsets.
In the garden
Notholirion bulbiferum belongs to the Liliaceae family and is native to the Himalayan region. Plants form a basal rosette of leaves in autumn and winter, then send up a flowering stem in April to May; after that single flowering the parent bulb dies, leaving offsets to carry the strain on in the following seasons. The bulb has a tunic covering which offers some protection underground. Allow for the species' lifecycle when planting and after-flowering care. Give offsets time to develop before disturbing the clump: the mother bulb dies following flowering, so rescue and redistribution depend on the young bulbs you have allowed to bulk up. Retain foliage until it has yellowed naturally so nutrients are returned to the offsets. Use Notholirion bulbiferum where seasonal spring bulbs are shown, and where you can monitor and lift or move offsets if needed. Containers or defined bulb beds that allow easy access to clumps suit the species because the planting can be adjusted once offsets are established. Expect a one-time flower from each bulb but a steady increase in numbers if offsets are left to mature.
Plant details
Notholirion bulbiferum size, habit and characteristics
- Native to
- Himalayas
More in the Notholirion genus
- Notholirion macrophyllumlarge-leaved false lily
- Notholirion thomsonianumThomson's lily
- Notholirion campanulatumbell-flowered lily
- Notholirion hyacinthinum