Family: Asphodelaceae
Scientific Name: Eremurus himalacicus
Common Name: Foxtail Lily, Desert Candle, Himalayan Foxtail, King's Spears
Description | Forms 4-6 foot tall spikes of white flowers. |
Pronunciation | (er-EE-mur-us)((him-al-LAY-ih-kus) |
Plant Type | All Plants, Perennial Tender |
Hardiness Zone | (5)6-8 |
Sunlight | full, tolerates a little shade |
Moisture | average, moist |
Soil & Site | average, well drained, prone to root rot |
Flowers | 20-24 inch terminal tapering racemes, flowers are made of 6 tepals, fragrant |
Leaves | rosette of strape-like basal leaves, can reach 2 feet, goes dormant after the flowers fade |
Stems | central crown |
Roots | fiborous roots |
Dimensions | 4-6 feet tall, 1-2 feet spread, upright |
Maintenance | doesn't like to disturbed after becoming established |
Propagation | careful division in spring or fall, seeds can take years to reach flowering size |
Native Site | Afghanistan, northwestern Himalayas |
Cultivar Origin | Found in the Himalays in 1818. |
Misc Facts | Genus name comes from the Greek words eremos (solitary) and oura (tail) in reference to the showy terminal flower spikes |
Author's Notes | Every year I see a large plantings of these at Boerner Botanical Gardens. They are stunning with their large floral spikes. |
Notes & Reference | #06-Perennials for the American Gardens (Clasusen and Ekastro), #179-Bulbs (Time Life Books) |
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