6 Crinum Hybrids

Historically, there are several hundred Crinum hybrids, named and listed, but most have vanished from circulation. The following are most hardy and are in the hands of some collectors, or several public gardens about Texas, including the Tejos Garden. Few hybrids will set seed, but a number have viable pollen.

Hyb. Fig. 1: Crinum x 'Cape Dawn'. A Hannibal cross of an Orange River C. bulbispermum (hexaploid) with a C. macowanii (tetraploid). The huge hybrid is a sterile pentaploid.

Hyb. Fig. 2: Crinum x 'Cape Dawn'. I once gave a specimen to Pat Synge when editor of the R. H. S. Resulting specimens pass as a giant red 'Powellii' about England.

Hyb. Fig. 3: Crinum x powellii album: A cross dating back to 1886 of C. moorei with C. bulbispermum album. Quite hardy, but normally sterile.

Hyb. Fig. 4: A probable C. scabrum hybrid scattered about Florida and the Caribbean. From its cernuous blossoms the other parent may be Baker's C. sanderianym. The plant is sterile.

Hyb. Fig. 5: Crinum x pranianum: A C. moorei x C. abyssinicum cross duplicated by Luther Bundrant and L. S. Hannibal.

Hyb. Fig. 6: Crinum x 'George Harwood', a hybrid developed by H. B. Bradley in Sydney, N. S. W., around 1910.

Hyb. Fig. 7: Crinum x 'Ellen Bosanquet': A C. scabrum x C. moorei cross, quite hardy and semi-fertile, developed by Louis Bosanquet or the Reasoner Brothers in Florida around 1910. Its pollen will take on a number of species, and it will accept C. moorei pollen and give attractive red moorei.

Hyb. Fig. 8: Crinum x 'Ellen Bosenquet' x Crinum scabrum. As yet unnamed, but very choice.

Hyb. Fig. 9: Crinum x 'Summer Glow': A Grace Hinshaw cross of 'Ellen Bosanquet' on C. x 'Cecil Houdyshel'. This is a large vigorous plant with richly colored blossoms. It is undoubtedly a poyploid. It is semi-fertile, so is a possible breeder.

Hyb. Fig. 10: Crinum x 'Bradley': A H. B. Bradley C. scabrum cross somewhat similar to 'Ellen Bosanquet'. Bradley was a Sydney N. S. W. barrister and did extensive breeding in the 1910-1920 period.

Hyb. Fig. 11: Crinum x virginicum: Origin now unknown, but probably a C. bulbispermum album x C. scabrum form. Sterile.

Hyb. Fig. 12: Crinum x 'Elsie'. One of numerous crosses of C. bulbispermum album with C. americanum.

Hyb. Fig. 13: Crinum x 'Birthday Party': A recent cross by Luther Bundrant. Quite hardy, but parentage unknown.

Hyb. Fig. 14: Crinum x 'Bundrant', a cross of Luther's 'Birthday Party' x 'Mardi Gras'

Hyb. Fig. 15: Crinum x 'Jubilee': A Bundrant cross apparently involving C. americanum. Records of his crosses were lost with his unfortunate passing. He had numerous forms which were still unflowerred.

Hyb. Fig. 16: A cross of C. bulbispermum x C. procerum roseum, called 'Sangria', A Luther Bundrant cross.

Hyb. Fig. 17: A polyploid sport of C. x herbertii found in my garden. Bulb cuttage is necessary to obtain offsets. The pollen seems semiviable.

Fig. 18: A Pat Malcolm hybrid. A C. scabrum x C. zeylanicum cross. Its pollen should take on either parent as well as C. abyssinicum since these Crinum have sessile blossems typical of the series Ornatae.

Hyb. Fig. 19: A tetraploid C. moorei x C. abyssinicum cross named 'White Mogul'. The blossoms are as large as tea cups on a five foot scape. A Les Hannibal cross.

Hyb. Fig. 20: Crinum x Grandiflorum. A C. americanum cross with C. scabrum, and unfortunately inclined to be frost tender.

Hyb. Fig. 21: Crinum x 'Eagle Rock'. A C. bulbispermum hybrid found at Eagle Rock, near Pasadena, California. Under humid conditions the colors are a warm rose.