Cyrtanthus

Cyrtanthus

This is the largest genus of Amaryllids in Africa. They occupy a vast range of habitats, from arid lowlands to snowy mountains, there are desert plants and those capable of withstanding cold and wet. In the UK they should all be regarded as tender, for safety's sake.

All Cyrtanthus need good drainage, especially the arid land species. The bigger species are better with the bulb planted above the compost. Contractile roots will pull the bulb down to the correct depth but the bigger species have thicker bulb tunics and like to be able to dry out rapidly after watering.

We use clay pots or bed them out, in a soil containing a LOT of silica sand, under glass. Never put them in peat-based compost (or similar), never use plastic pots. Most do not need much water. Let them dry out almost completely between watering. If in doubt then don't give any water.

The majority are deciduous, sometimes only briefly, but they will need a dry dormant period to ripen growth.



Available for ordering from Spring and Autumn lists.

Cyrtanthus mackennii

Cyrtanthus mackennii

"Ifafa Lily”

The flowers in this species can be pink, red-orange or even golden-yellow depending on the form. These are mixed and are not colour sorted in any way.

All of the colour forms have strongly perfumed blooms with a delicious and heavy scent. The flowers are borne in clusters on 20cm stems through the year. If dried and restarted after about 6 weeks, then they can be made to flower 3 times a year.

Slender growths, floriferous and dependable this is a tolerant, easy going, easily grown species. Evergreen.

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Cyrtanthus mackenniicyrmacmac £3.50

Cyrtanthus montanus

Large, wide-open trumpet flowers in an umbel in the manner of a Nerine. The flower colour is a gorgeous, light orange-red. This really is an extremely beautiful evergreen plant.

Enjoys light shade, very sharp drainage and very little water. Discovered only in the last 30 years or so growing on cliffs in the interior of Cape Province but responding well to cultivation. This remains extremely rare in the wild however it is perfectly growable. Ours is the true species and not the hybrid with C. elatus.

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Cyrtanthus montanuscyrmonmon £12.00

Cyrtanthus sanguineus

One to four large, funnel-shaped blooms of vivid red, each up to 10cm long. Flowers can appear at any time of the year but are concentrated in summer.

This is an evergreen, moist forest species that prefers shade. It likes a humus-rich compost but one with good drainage. As a species this is both undemanding and readily clumping. It makes an outstanding display, reliably.

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Cyrtanthus sanguineuscyrsansan £15.50