Corn Lily

Cultivation : Corn lily plant can be easily grown from bulb or seed or corms. Bulb or corms must be buried in the soil for the depth of about three times of its height. While planting more bulbs burry it at least a bulb width apart. Burry the bulb in such a way that it’s top is facing upward. The bulb top will be more pointed than the other end and hence easily identified. In case you can’t identify the top, burry the bulb in sideway. When the corms are buried with its top facing downward there won’t be plant growth at all.

The soil must be moist and boggy. The soil may also have poor drainage but prefer well-drained soil for best growth of plant. For getting healthy plant, add aged manure in the soil for about 2 to 3 inches, 10 days before planting, hence fertility, water retention and drainage of the soil will be improved. If soil composition is week or when the soil is sand or clay, add organic matter to enrich the soil.

It can also be grown in container, fertilizing is must when grown in container for good growth. Prefer early spring for planting in container. Select a large pot with drainage holes and water it regularly and for good growth. After the growth of the plant to some extent, it can be replanted in ground when you wish. Wherever it may be planted container or ground, that must consists of many rooms for spreading of plants. The container must be large enough that can allow root development. The container must be filled with a good quality soil.

Protect the plant from winter frost by covering it with mulch (organic matter) which also provides nutrients to the plant.

Propagation : Sowing seeds in containers in a cold frame can propagate corn lily. It must be placed in containers after it ripe. If growing corn lily plant in containers select a large pot with drainage holes and water it regularly and for good growth of plants add fertilizers. When the seeds finished growing to some extend take it out from the container and plant in the place you preferred in early summer.

Also be propagated by dividing the tubers, bulbs, corms when the growth stopped due to winter frost or in spring and keep it in a place free from frost and replant it in summer.

Varieties : Corn lily consists of many varieties but there are only two major varieties of corn lily. They are, Veratrum viride variety belongs to Eastern North America and also occur in Sowthwestern Labrador, Quebec and so on. Another variety is Veratrum viride eschscholzianum variety belongs to Weatern North America and distributed to Alaska, Alberta, and Washington and so on.

Disease and Cure : Spider mites, which are small spider like creature with 8 legs, which thrive, in hot, dry conditions, feed with piercing mouthpart, cause plants to appear yellow and stippled. Hence Leaf drop and plant death can occur with heavy infestations. Spider mites can multiply quickly. They also produce a web, which covers infested leaves and flowers. In order to prevent and control it, keep weeds down and remove infested plants and dry air will worsen the problem, so regularly water the plants. Take advantage of natural enemies such as ladybug larvae. Concentrate more on undersides of leaves where spider mites generally live.

Water the plant regularly but excess water supply must be avoided, since it will cause the bud to rotten and plant get spoiled, hence appropriate amount of water should to supplied with an adequate days of gap between watering.

Use pesticides and fungicides when there is an identity of damage in plants by pests and spread of fungal diseases, but in most cases corn lily is free from pests or diseases.

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