Leaf rosette of Cardiocrinum giganteum, the Giant Himalayan lily, in a garden in Norfolk, UK, in April. C. giganteum, a member of the Liliaceae, is a

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Leaf rosette of Cardiocrinum giganteum, the Giant Himalayan lily, in a garden in Norfolk, UK, in April. C. giganteum, a member of the Liliaceae, is a native of the Himalayas, NW Burma and SW China. It is a monocarpic perennial which slowly produces a large bulb. After flowering, this bulb dies, leaving offsets, that can be grown on. It requires a cool moist site in moderate shade for successful growth as a garden plant. The rosette in this picture has developed from a bulb that has finally reached flowering size after 6 years from seed, and is on a short stem of 30cm. The stem will eventually expand to more than 2m in height; meanwhile the rosette will open to expose the flower bud

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Size: 3468px × 5212px
Photo credit: © DR JEREMY BURGESS/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: biological, biology, botanical, botany, bulb, burma, cardiocrinum, china, garden, giant, giganteum, himalaya, himalayan, lily, monocarpic, offset, perennial, plant, rosette