About

A bulbous perennial from South Africa with strap-shaped, sometimes spotted leaves and erect racemes of small, tubular, pendant flowers in white or cream flushed with lilac, in winter to spring. A choice and delicate Cape cowslip for a cool, frost-free glasshouse or sheltered, sunny garden.

About the genus

A genus of 60 bulbous perennials from seasonally dry grasslands or rocky sites in Central America and Peru. Attractive, bright-coloured flowers are fairly short-lived but often open successively from each stem. Each flower has three large outer segments and three shorter, inner ones. The leaves are narrow, sword-shaped

Plant details

Suggested usesBorders, prairie planting, containers.

Care notes

CultivationPlant in well-drained soil. Cut back late winter.
PruningCut old growth to base in late winter.
PropagationDivide offsets when dormant.
Pest resistanceGenerally pest-free.
Disease resistanceGenerally disease-resistant.