Sprekelia
3 bulbs for € 6.99
(Formosissima)
Nicknames include Gold lily or Jacob's lily. Warm and sunny place in the garden. Beautiful red color of flower, about 30 cm tall.
Plant it in the spring (April-May) as soon as the chance of frost has passed in a warm spot in full sun in well-draining soil. Do not plant it too deep; the neck of the bulb should stick out above the ground. Water after planting and keep the soil lightly moist. It can also be planted well in a pot.
Only 2 species are known: Sprekelia formosissima and Sprekelia howardii. Both originally come from Mexico. The Sprekelia howardii is only found in the Mexican state of Guerrero. It is also called Aztec lily. When it arrived in Europe in the 17th century, it was thought to be a type of lily and was given the name Jacob lily.
This is a reference to the connection of the shape and color of the red flowers with the red cross of the knightly order of St. Jacob of Calatrava. This order was founded in the 12th century to protect pilgrims to Santiago de Compostela and had a red cross with a yellow shell in the middle as its coat of arms. Sprekelia howardii is also called gold lily because in bright light the petals seem to be covered with gold dust. It is named after Johann Heinrich von Spreckelsen, a German lawyer who had the first private botanical garden built in Hamburg.
He sent the first specimens of the Jacob's lily to botanist Lorenz Heister, after which it was named Sprekelia in 1755.
This plant is not often seen anymore
Location: sun
Color: dark red
Height: 25-30 cm
Size: 16-18
Blooming period: June-July