Come on everyone, show me your Eremurus or foxtail lilies. I'm in dire need of inspiration (and comforting since I couldn't find any white ones at the garden center today :p )

This is one pic I like :

Just spectacular. I had no idea they got so tall.

The white ones do grow taller.
I will see if I have any pictures.
This fall I am planting pink one which were half price.

White one I once grew...
Foxtail Lily (Eremurus himalaicus)

jmorth said:White one I once grew...
Foxtail Lily (Eremurus himalaicus)

Very nice! But why not anymore?

They are truly spectacular! I have a few of the Spring Valley Hybrids from Brent and Becky's (hybridized and grown in the US). They were offered as a mix and my tallest is golden yellow with some orange on the buds. It has exceeded 7 feet. There was a lovely white in the mix, but it has never gotten that tall (usually 4-5 feet).

I divided some a couple of years ago and lost a division of this one. It is rebounding though.

Here's a photo from a few years ago before I divided and moved the white ones to another bed. This has me thinking I need to get more of these beauties!

Reason I've not been growing them since 2006 or so is because I'm on it's northern zone range. I remember having to run out to the back yard intermittently to hastily provide a shelter when the temps see-sawed in the spring.
But then again, it was the most impressive plant I've ever grown.

They are not a reliably hardy plant here in zone 4a.

Here are some I used to grow when I had a business, some of my favorite pinks and whites and a couple of peach ones I really liked. I don't grow any now since I cannot find a good pink like I used to have. These are all hybrids.

Most impressive.

Awesome Lisa!

Yes they were, too bad I can't find a good pink hybrid to plant here.

Okay I know better---but---
they looked so healthy and large--I bought them-and now I am wondering what I should do with them. Ruiter's Hybrids Eremurus ! ?

The problem is:- it is still going to minus 10 Celsius here at night.
Toss them in 'frig until it warms?
Pot them up in large pots, and grow in the house?
Or could I bury them outside?

They are usually offered here in the late summer to early fall, so
I am in a quandery over this impulse purchase?

Funny you should ask that Caroline; I was wondering the same thing. I saw some healthy looking eremerus roots yesterday at Walmart of all places and only held off purchasing them because of being unsure of what to do with them until the spring. They definately would need some rather large pots. No chance of burying outside for me at this point!

Well, for one thing you're both north of their hardiness zone (which is 5 at best). I'd get them in the ground as early as possible as you may get some blooms but I'd have serious reservations about them returning. Until then, keep them cool and dry; or try large pots, you've nothing to lose anyway. I'd probably go w/ the largest pot I could handle.

Garden Centers around here sell them in the summer in 2 gallon containers for exhorbitant prices. So potting them seems the best idea---moving furniture out of living room window.

Caroline, do you have a cool/cold protected area (like a garage) where you could keep the potted plants till spring? They are such sun lovers my concern would be that indoor temps will stimulate growth too quickly and that indoor lighting could make for weak, spindly plants. I also think they may benefit from a cool rooting period. They would make stunning potted plants!

Yes, I do have an unheated garage, too.
I was wondering myself about starting in a warm house.
They would make for neat containers.
The garage might go below freezing if we have a cold snap, but I think those planted in the fall must experience freezing too?
I can get larger containers into, and out of, the garage easier than house too.
Great idea! I can WS some low annuals, or add petunias later.

Thanks to all of you:-- for helping me to think through my absurd purchase!

I don't some freezing will hurt them, they certainly freeze here. They're planted shallowly with just an inch or two of soil over the crown and the roots radiate horizontally. The soil here only freezes at the top couple of inches, but the eremurus don't seem to mind.

If you do grow annuals in the container, something with lower moisture needs would be good because eremurus don't like too much moisture- especially when they go dormant shortly after blooming. The annuals will probably usurp the moisture quickly, so that actually may be a benefit.