| William Bartram, a notable, early | | | | as big around as a large leg. When these |
| American botanist, extensively explored | | | | stems are cut off and replanted in the |
| the Island of St. Simons in Georgia; | | | | soil, they will root easily and quickly |
| describing vividly the landscape, | | | | will develop to form another bulb at the |
| animals and plants in the area, along | | | | base with roots about the diameter of |
| with his personal encounters with | | | | fingers that extend out from the bulb, |
| islanders, and in most cases, their | | | | like spokes on a bicycle wheel. A large |
| generous offers of food, shelter and | | | | Crinum will eventually form small offset |
| conversation and hospitality to him in | | | | bulbs that can be removed from the |
| March of the year 1774. | | | | parent bulb for increasing the numbers |
| Near present day Fort Frederica, | | | | in a planting. Occasionally, the bulb |
| beautifully described by Bartram, as | | | | will divide itself into two, large equal |
| near a "venerable grove of live oaks, | | | | sized plants. The Crinum is very easy to |
| under whose spreading boughs opened a | | | | transplant in any kind of soil and |
| spacious avenue leading to the former | | | | hardly ever shows any dramatic or |
| seat (Headquarters) of General | | | | stunting shock after replanting. |
| Oglethorpe, but now near the property of | | | | Some modern botanists feel that although |
| Capt. Raimond Demere" (the ancestor of | | | | William Bartram's original name of |
| many descendants still living on the | | | | 'Lilium superbum' is not acceptable to |
| Georgia Islands). After leaving this | | | | replace with, Crinum asiaticum, that the |
| town he went 5 miles to south St. Simons | | | | name, Crinum asiaticum may not be |
| where; "the lively breezes were perfumed | | | | acceptable either, because the habitat |
| by the fragrant breath of the superb | | | | and the colonization of this lily was |
| Crinum, called by the inhabitants, | | | | firmly established into mature colonies |
| 'white lily'...the delicate structure of | | | | along the coast of the Eastern U.S. in |
| its spadix (flower), for its broad green | | | | the month of March during the year, |
| leaves and the texture and whiteness of | | | | 1774, when Bartram discovered and |
| its flowers at once charmed me". | | | | described it as growing there in a pure |
| In William Bartrams book, Travels, he | | | | and naturalized state. It seems |
| had discovered the Crinum asiaticum that | | | | impossible that Crinum asiaticum could |
| he named "Lilium superbum" and wrote | | | | have migrated to the Eastern coast of |
| that it represented pride and vanity, a | | | | the United States, except by seed, which |
| puzzling statement. This population of | | | | understandably can float in salt water |
| Crinum has greatly multiplied after two | | | | and germinate later, after it has been |
| centuries and is cultivated on an | | | | washed ashore. This remote possibility |
| extensive scale throughout St. Simons | | | | of seed floating from the Pacific Ocean |
| Island and nearby at the Cloister Hotel | | | | to the Atlantic to the Eastern seaboard |
| on Sea Island, the famous tourist, five- | | | | does not seem likely, since seed could |
| star resort, where all Presidents of the | | | | only migrate through the southern limits |
| United States since Calvin Coolidge and | | | | of Brazil and Argentina at the bottom of |
| many Kings, Queens and Heads of State | | | | South America - against strong |
| have visited and vacationed. Giant | | | | trans-ocean currents and in water so |
| clumps of these 6 foot tall lilies can | | | | cold that the seed would not survive |
| be viewed publicly at the old slave | | | | exposure of the frigid temperatures |
| cabins at the edge of St. Simon's | | | | through the Drake Passage near Cape |
| present day airport. The lily, Crinum | | | | Horn, Argentina. |
| asiaticum, produces giant clusters of | | | | There is an early botanical historical |
| fragrant white flowers on sturdy stems | | | | description of Crinum americanum, a lily |
| up to six feet tall, and the plant can | | | | that is reported to be native to the |
| bloom any month of the year, but most | | | | Eastern U.S., however, this Crinum does |
| prolifically during late spring and | | | | not fit the William Bartram description |
| early summer. After blooming the flowers | | | | of "broad" leaves, since Crinum |
| can produce giant green seeds, the size | | | | americanum has very narrow leaves and |
| of a quarter that can be planted on top | | | | Crinum asiaticum has very "broad" |
| of the soil immediately while green to | | | | leaves. Additionally, Bartram observed |
| produce small bulbs that eventually | | | | that the Crinum, 'Lilium superbum', |
| develop into large plants. These lilies | | | | produced: the "fragrant breath of the |
| are evergreen in zones 8-11, but usually | | | | superb Crinum....and whiteness of |
| will re-sprout from the bulbs after | | | | flowers at once charmed me". He recorded |
| killing freezes that are often | | | | these Crinum flowers as blooming during |
| experienced in zone 7. | | | | the month of March of the year, l774, |
| These Crinum plants develop into small | | | | which could only be the flowers of |
| tree- like umbrellas in Hawaii, with | | | | Crinum asiaticum, since Crinum americium |
| trunks up to 8 ft. tall topped by a | | | | only blooms in late summer and during |
| rosette of 6 inch wide leaves | | | | the fall - and never in the month of |
| spectacularly perched at the top of the | | | | March. These facts prove that the |
| stump. In the U.S. these lilies do not | | | | description of the lily as described by |
| often exceed 6 ft in height, however, | | | | William Bartram was Crinum asiaticum. |
| the stem of the Crinum asiaticum can be | | | | |