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| Category: Bulb/Tuber/Rhizome etc. |
| Family: Hyacinthaceae (~Amaryllidaceae) |
| Origin: South Africa (Africa) |
| Flower Color: Light Pink |
| Bloomtime: Fall/Winter |
| Height: 1 foot |
| Width: 1-2 feet |
| Exposure: Full Sun |
| Irrigation (H2O Info): Medium Water Needs |
| Winter Hardiness: 25-30° F |
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Veltheimia capensis (Sand Lily) - This deciduous bulb begins growth in the fall by producing upright blue-gray leaves that have undulating margins that are folded inward at the thickened midrib. At nearly the same time the leaves are coming on, emerge the reddish pink flowers that continue into early winter and are then followed by attractive reddish inflated capsules. Plant in full sun (will not bloom in shade as V. bracteata does) with the upper portion of the bulb exposed in a well-drained soil and irrigate only when leaves are emergent. There is not much cold hardy data on this plant but we know it is hardy to at least 25° F as plants in our garden withstood these temperatures in the January 2007 freeze with 3 nights in a row down to 25° F . Native to sandy, well-drained soils in the drier regions of the Western Cape - through the Karoo, Namaqualand and into Namibia. Our plants from seed we collect from stock plants that have leaves that are particularly narrow and blue-gray. Our original plants from the late Richard Doutt, an Entomologist, bulb grower and author of Cape Bulbs (Timber Press, 1994). We also grow the more evergreen Veltheimia bracteata which grows in light shade in mounds of lush green foliage and is winter to spring flowering. The genus, first published in 1771 by German botanist Johann Gottlieb Gleditsch (1714-1786) who honored himself with the naming of the genus of the Locust trees (Gleditsia), honors Count Frederick Augustus von Veltheim (1741-1801) a German patron of Botany. The specific epithet comes from this plant growing in the Cape province of South Africa. The original name given to this plant by Linnaeus in 1770 was Aletris capensis but it was reclassified as Veltheimia capensis by Augustin Pyramus de Candolle in 1807. It was introduced into cultivation in England as early as 1768.
The information about Veltheimia capensis displayed on this page is based on research conducted in our library and from reliable online resources. We also relate observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we visit, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments we receive from others, and we welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share cultural information that would aid others in growing it.
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