Oxblood lily bulbs thrive on their own

Photo of Kathy Huber
Q. A friend gave me a clump of oxblood lilies. How do I care for these, and where can I find more?

-- E.S.B., Houston

A. The oxblood lily, aka schoolhouse or hurricane lily, Rhodophiala bifida, is a small member of the amaryllis family and a tenacious heirloom found in old Southern gardens. The blooms are crimson-red and typically appear in early September, the traditional time school gets under way and during the "hurricane season." The flowers last several days if it's not too hot, says Patty Allen, an artist, gardener and owner of a small nursery, Bayou City Studio and Gardens in the Humble area. Allen has grown oxblood lilies for several years.

When the bloom dies down, green, straplike foliage emerges. The foliage persists through winter and spring and goes dormant in early summer. Then, in late August and/or early September, 12- to 18-inch slender flower stems appear, the amaryllislike blooms open in outward-facing clusters and the cycle continues.

Allen says the roots of the long-necked, black bulbs pull themselves down into the soil, and it is this growth habit that allows clumps to develop in the cooler layers of the earth.

Oxblood lilies can be grown in various soil types, and the history of the heirloom bulbs is testimony to this fact as they are discovered at abandoned homesteads where they have survived, and multiplied, with no care.

Given a good soil, adequate moisture and minimum effort on a gardener's part, oxblood lilies make a beautiful showing in the garden, Allen says. Young bulblets form around the older bulbs, spiraling around the mother bulbs.

Oxblood lilies can be used to border walkways or massed in flower beds.

For the most part, oxblood lilies have only been available in recent years by sharing clumps, but Allen says she has several on hand (281-441-8646), and limited numbers will be available at various special plant sales this fall.

Q. I am hoping you can identify a vine that is growing against a brick wall in a shopping center, surviving with little water in the punishing heat. I want to plant it in anticipation of water shortages.

-- J.B., Sugar Land

A. The plant you mailed appears to be evergreen wisteria, Millettia reticulata, a hardy evergreen with glossy dark-green foliage divided into leaflets like those of Chinese wisterias. This vine is not as rampant, but it can be vigorous. It produces beautiful dark reddish-purple blooms in summer. Give it sun and a well-draining, organically enriched soil.

Q. I read about true red vincas a couple of years ago, but every time I ask at a nursery about this plant, they mention `Pacifica' periwinkle. This is a red, but not a deep, true red. Do you know of a true red vinca or periwinkle?

My front yard is approximately 52 feet deep from the street to the front porch and 100 feet wide. I had to take down an old live oak, due to its branches hanging over our house. Would there be any drawbacks to centering two new live oaks in this front yard? I still wonder if their being roughly 26 feet from the house is too close?

-- C. T. Baytown

A. The `Pacifica Red' vinca/periwinkle is a rosy red variety. `Santa Fe' is an orange-brick-red. And there is `Tropicana Rose', a pink-red periwinkle. And `Heatwave Cherry'. But I've not heard of a "true" red periwinkle. Perhaps there is a reader who can help us out. Meanwhile, I will continue to search.

Generally, columnar trees are more suitable near buildings, and medium to large trees with spreading canopies are best planted at least 20 feet from a building. Live oaks can have tremendous spreads -- 50 to 70 feet. Should you plant young live oaks, you will enjoy a few years before the branches likely reach your roof, but eventually the limbs will stretch to great lengths.

A tree company could prune branches that rub against your house or extend over the roof -- and hopefully in a way that maintains a balanced, natural shape. But since you removed a tree with overhanging branches, you might consider a large tree with a lesser canopy spread such as a green ash (80 feet by 40 feet), blackgum (60 feet by 30 feet) or river birch (50 feet by 30 feet). Or a smaller tree such as a Chinese pistache (40 feet by 30 feet) or Chinese elm (40 feet by 30 feet). Heights and spreads are averages.

Should you still want to plant live oaks, you could plant one, perhaps off-center, or two. One tree will eventually provide a great deal of shade; two, of course, would cut out even more light, making it difficult to have thick turf. But this would be years away.

Mail garden questions to Kathy Huber , Garden Editor, Houston Chronicle , P.O. Box 4260, Houston, TX 77210. The bulk of mail prevents individual replies to each unpublished letter.