Facts About the Glory Lily

Description

• The glory lily is a perennial climbing vine that grows from storage tubers. These tubers resemble small sweet potatoes and, according to the University of Florida, this may account for some of the accidental poisoning attributed to the plant. Vine stems and leaves are glossy green. Leaves are elongated ovals with grasping tendrils at their tips. Petals are recurved, coiling backward from the flower center. Each petal is thin and ruffled changing from yellow at the center to red at the tips. Together the petals look like a ball of flame coiling up from the center of the flower. Anthers are easily visible hanging downward beneath the petals.

Propagation

• Spent blooms of the glory lily produce dark brown seedpods that contain deep red seeds. The plant can be propagated from seed but it is a slow process. Seeds may take as many as four months to sprout and will need three years indoors before they are strong enough to transplant outdoors. Each plant produces two storage tubers. In the fall when the plant dies back, you can dig up and divide the tubers. Store them in peat moss in a cool, dry spot and in the spring you'll have two tubers to plant.

Care

• These tropical vines require full sun and rich, well-drained soil. Provide enough water to prevent wilting. Vines are not particularly strong so tie them loosely to the support structure you're using. Remove seedpods as soon as they appear to promote flowering. Pests and diseases are not usually a problem for this vine, but you may find aphids attacking it. Use a dish soap and water mixture to wash them gently off the plant if they do become a problem.

Overwintering

• Once all blooms are spent in the fall reduce the amount of water you give your glory lily to prepare it for winter. The glory lily can overwinter outside in zones nine through 11 according to the University of Florida. Store tubers in peat moss indoors in a cool, dry and dark location if you live in a cold climate because they cannot survive temperatures lower than 20 degrees Fahrenheit.