|
Haemanthus deformis – An evergreen to semi-evergreen bulbous plant with two to four broad blue-green 12 to 18 inch long leaves that lie over flat to the ground and have rough slightly hairy margins. The two newest two leaves remain as the older set wither away. The flowers, with emerge from the center of the leaves are carried on top of 5 inch tall stalks covered with hairs, are composed of a brush of white staminal flowers that have yellow anthers and are enclosed within white bracts.
Plant in well-drained soil in a shady location and water pretty regularly, particularly in summer months. It is frost hardy into the mid 20s F. Plant in groups under trees or use as a container specimen.
Haemanthus deformis comes from northeastern parts of the Eastern Cape province north into KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa where it typically grows in moist, shaded conditions under shrubs of between rocks on shady slopes. The name for genus is from the Greek words 'haima' meaning "blood" and 'anthos' meaning "flower" in reference to the red flowers that many species of the genus have. The specific epithet meaning deformed was likely given to the way the plant flowers with a very short and bent inflorescence.
We first received this plant from Walter Rosenthal, is a white Haemanthus that is different from Haemanthus albiflos with its blue green colored broader, flatter and more leathery leaves that have ciliate margins. Our thanks to Cok Grootscholten for contacting us with the correct name for this and another white Haemanthus in our collection, Haemanthus pauculifolius, with longer and narrower leaves and stamens more exerted. We grew this plant from 2004 until 2008.
The information displayed on this page about Haemanthus deformis is based on our research conducted about this plant from books in our nursery library as well as from information that is provided by reliable online resources. We also have included our own observations made about it as it grew in the nursery gardens and other gardens visited, as well how the crops of this plant performed in the containers when we had them in our nursery field. We also include comments received from others and welcome hearing from anyone who has information about this plant, particularly if it includes cultural information aiding others to better grow it.
|
