Chlidanthus fragrans : delicate lily, delicate fairy lily, perfumed fairy lily

Chlidanthus - Chlideo(?) was the name of some delicate god; fragrans - means fragrant.

Wow!

Chlidanthus is notoriously difficult.   Even the name is tough!   We who speak American are not use to the "chl" combo.   I often say "Childanthus" instead of "Chlidanthus".  

Pronunciation aside, it is hard to get them to bloom.   That is especially true for those of us in cold climates where they have to be grown in pots or dug up and stored for the winter, like dahlias.   I bought a couple of bulbs from Frank's probably eight years ago.   The bulbs would grow and multiply but never flower.

A few years back I added them to a pot of equally bloomed-challenged Sprekelias.   I watched as these two South American beauties put up foliage and filled the pot with their bulbs.   But there were never any flowers. 

Last year the pot baked in the heat of our summer.   And the drought kept things bone dry.   In November I sat them in our stairwell and forgot about them.   When it is below zero outside, temps in the stairwell can go down to freezing.   But I do not worry about my tropical bulbs and plants as long as my winter calla lily looks healthy.   My calla in the stairwell is like the canary in the mineshaft.  

In mid April we had several days of 70s.   I could not wait to get my plants outside in the Sun.   After a few days of sunshine and occasional rain, I saw a familiar bud forming.   All daffodil family (many people refer to this as the amaryllis family, but the ubiquitous daffodil is a much better representative) members form a little "purse" for their flower buds.   Having never seen Chlidanthus flower, I thought that it was just a Sprekelia .   I was still excited, because it has been years since anything in the pot flowered.   I attributed the yellow color of the scape to new growth that would soon turn red as the stalk grew.

Golden fairy lily is in full bloom now.   Two stalks bloomed with two flowers each.   The last bud (on the far left) has yet to open.   Barely visible through the foliage (lower right) is the bud of Sprekelia, the Aztec lily, getting ready to join the festivities.   These South American bulbs are restricted to pot culture on my Chicagoland roofdeck.   A dark leaved geranium, Pelargonium cultivar, is in the same container to add color and varying texture.

The next couple of days I knew something was up.   The "purse" had already opened exposing two slender buds that were way too small and yellow to be Sprekelia .   The next day they were open.   Chlidanthus fragrans !  

This is a major event for a gardener.   My wife was pleasantly amused, but not nearly excited enough for me.   I had to get in touch with fellow tropical bulb nut, Boyce, just to have somebody to brag to.   Fortunately, Boyce understood the gravity of the situation:   Childanthus is blooming outside in Chicago in May!

The common name delicate lily doesn't do it justice.   It doesn't appear to be that delicate.   It survived brutal summer heat and drought, near freezing winter temps, and now is blooming despite strong May winds and nighttime temps in the 40s.   I propose golden fairy lily as the new common name.

Childanthus is clearly a close relative of Zephyranthes .   Besides similar flowers and foliage, both bloom incredibly fast.   Hippeastrum , amaryllis, take weeks from bud to bloom.   Chlidanthus , like Zephyranthes , only took a couple of days.

The flowers are exquisite.   Long thin tubes open up into lush channeled petals each ending in a pointed tip.   They are daffodil yellow: a living yellow with rich texture and vibrant green undertones sprinkled with shiny flecks that sparkle in the sunlight.   I had only seen that color in choice daffodils, like 'Quail' and 'Tete a tete' until now.   Plus, it has a feint, sweet, celery-like scent.

Apparently, Chlidanthus blooms in the summer for many gardeners who treat them like other summer bulbs.   I would think that their vibrant yellow color, light scent, and small stature would be out of place in summer, especially with loud, tall companions like gladiolas, lilies, cannas, and rudbeckias.  

I check them several times a day.   They look best at dawn when the soft sunlight allows the rich texture of the flower to be appreciated.   At least for this week, I proclaim golden fairy lily to be the best flower ever!!

Now that Chlidanthus is in full bloom a fat red purse is nudging it's way up.   Looks like Sprekelia is coming to join the party!

Wahoo!! Or something less festive.