Cobra Lily

March 2014:
The Cobra Lily struggled the first couple of years and then quit coming up at all. Also see Calla Lily.

Planted May 27, 2010.
The Cobra Lily is an expensive bulb, but the plant is supposed to spread pretty easily and come up with new ones, so I just got one and will let nature do its work.
It came up with a deformed leaf, but otherwise seems healthy. It's now past its supposed blooming period, so maybe next year.

The Cobra Lily likes shade and to be kept cool and moist, so I planted it near the deck steps where it is shady and we can keep it watered.

Although it likes water flowing over its roots, it doesn't like standing water. After I dug a hole, I filled it with water and it seemed to be taking too long to drain, so instead of putting the bulb down in a hole, I built up the area with a thick layer of humus topped by a thick layer of moisture-control potting soil, then covered that with mulch. The bulb needs to be at the soil line, so it is atop all this build-up.

This was all done where there is a slight incline, so excess water should run off through the humus while the moisture-control aspect of the potting soil plus the cedar mulch cover should help keep the roots moist.

The first night, something dug into the bed, so the next day I added the usual chicken wire over the bulb, topped by soil and mulch.

Here is the catalog picture and description:

Fascinating flowers appear from June to July on this captivating plant. Jack-in-the-pulpit pink flowers flaunt intriguing dark pink stripes and a light perfumed scent. Although it has a mysterious look, it really is a hardy perennial that naturalizes quite easily.