Family: Amaryllidaceae

This South African genus of around 50 species of bulbous herbs produces beautiful, tubular, fragrant blooms on tall stems. The flowers are borne in drooping umbels in spring and summer in colours of red, white, salmon or pale yellow. These bulbs do well in pots and the blooms are used for long-lasting cut flowers.

Species

A fairly well-known species that deserves to be more widely grown is C. brachyscyphus, which has 30 cm (12 in) long, bright green leaves, and clusters of tubular, red flowers in spring and summer on stems up to 30 cm (12 in) high. It is one of the hardier species and could be grown outside in a Mediterranean climate.

C. elatus (formerly Vallota speciosa), Scarborough lily, has broad, strappy leaves, to 50 cm (20 in), and large, bright red, trumpet-shaped flowers in late summer to autumn. 'Alba', a white-flowering form, is not often seen in cultivation.

C. mackenii, ifafa lily, is a delightful species, well worth growing. It has 30 cm (12 in) long leaves and bears umbels of pure white flowers on stalks around 30 cm (12 in) tall. Var. cooperi produces umbels of five to ten yellow or cream flowers.

C. speciosa has broad leaves, up to 60 cm (24 in) long, and produces scarlet trumpet-shaped flowers, often borne in groups of eight to ten on one 30 cm (12 in) long stem. Cultivar 'Alba' has white flowers, while 'Delicata' has salmon-pink blooms.

Cultivation

In frost-prone climates, Cyrtanthus are grown in pots in a cool to intermediate greenhouse or conservatory. Pot the bulbs when dormant, using soil-based potting compost. The neck of the bulb should be above compost level. Provide maximum light but shade from direct sun. Keep the plants barely moist when dormant, but water well in the growing period. Outdoors plant in a sunny spot with well-drained soil rich in humus. Planting depth equals twice the depth of the bulb.

Climate

Zone 10.