This is the giant Himalayan lily - and giant it can be, the largest I have come across reaching to over 4 metres (14 feet). It is a woodland plant, the bulb usually with its nose just above ground, growing larger for up to nine years from seed before sending up its spectacular flower stem, which can have 20 or more huge, white, tubular flowers, delightlfully and strongly scented. After flowering the main bulb dies, but there are usually several smaller bulbs surrounding it, which can reach flowering size in three years or so. They like rich feeding, and you should take care not to use them as rich feeding for slugs.

Cardiocrinum giganteum has up to 20 creamy white flowers with purplish markings towards base on the inside, each flower a long (to 15 cm) tube, with a beautiful and powerful scent.