Brunsvigia

Brunsvigia bosmaniae

Large heads of individually good-sized flowers in shades of mid to deep pink. The flowers are slightly tubular and very finely lined in shades of deeper pink.

As with other members of the genus Brunsvigia each flower is held on a flower stalk considerably longer than the length of the flower and thus they look like 3D cartwheels. As the flower-head is held on quite a short stem above the ground the effect is stunning.

This needs a good root run or large pot to do well. Standard cultivation methods for the genus are fine for this one, though like most larger Amaryllids, it needs time to settle and commence flowering regularly.

Picture © Denis Tsang, used with permission

Brunsvigia bosmaniaebrubosbos	£55.00		1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
About 3cm wide by about 7cm tall this is flowering sized for the species. Large view
Brunsvigia bosmaniaebrubosbosMEDIUM	£35.00		1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
About 2.3cm wide by about 6cm tall this is not yet flowering sized.
Brunsvigia bosmaniae specimensbrubosbosspe	£78.50		1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Good sized bulbs about 4cm wide by about 7cm tall, this is good flowering-sized for the species, though they will need time to settle as flowering is irregular.

Brunsvigia bosmaniae Rhynsdorp

This stock is a geographical form that occurs near van Rhynsdorp in southern Namaqualand. The plants have rounded mostly dark green leaves with unusual, pale pink, cartilaginous edges to the leaf margins. There are between 4 and 6 of these leaves, on each bulb. They are on average 10cm long and 7cm wide.

The flowers are huge open globes, composed of tubular, bright pink, dark-pink-lined flowers.

Brunsvigia ciliaris

This species has been transferred to the genus Crossyne, and is now Crossyne guttata.

You will find it in our Crossyne listing.

Brunsvigia namaquana

This unique, dwarf species grows from a small bulb, no more than 2cm in diameter, which is covered with horn-like, brown tunics. The top of the bulb is contracted into a neck about 1cm long.

There are 3-4 leaves which are held pressed flat to the ground. These are narrow, elliptical and covered with short, stiff, golden bristles. These leaves alone are very unusual for this genus.

The inflorescence appear before the leaves, in autumn and stands just 12cm high. The umbel bears about 10 flowers, up to 2cm long held on 4cm pedicels. The flowers are bright pink with contrasting anthers of deep wine- purple. The flowers are very zygomorphic, this is unique in the genus. ( Zygomorphic flowers are symmetrical only in one plane, thus an orchid is zygomorphic, a lily or a daffodil are not). Zygomorphic flowers are considered the most highly evolved.

This is a very rare plant, restricted to a few stations in the wild, and highly vulnerable both to disturbance and agriculture. This is only very rarely offered, in fact this is only our third time in 38 years of trading.

Brunsvigia radulosa

This is a new stock of a very beautiful and intensely coloured form that is restricted to dolomite hills near Pretoria. This habitat is currently being destroyed by urban expansion and soon very few will remain. These are licensed rescue plants and as such are not totally even and symmetrical.

This rare form makes slightly smaller top growth and significantly smaller bulbs than the Free State form, this is natural.

Brunsvigia radulosa Dolomite formbruradradSpecimens	£79.50
The 'normal' species make medium-sized bulbs only. This form naturally has smaller bulbs still, it is just the nature of this strain. However these are exceptional bulbs about 7cm in diameter, which is very large, specimen-sized for this small form.
Brunsvigia radulosa Dolomite formbruradradSpecimenMisshape	£72.50		1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
One only, a specimen sized (7cm) bulb with a cleft in the basal plate. This will root, grow and heal without problem but it is not cosmetically appealing (though this vanishes once planted)
Brunsvigia radulosa Dolomite formbruradradFlowering	£73.50		1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
The 'normal' species make medium-sized bulbs only. This form naturally has smaller bulbs still, it is just the nature of this strain. However these are nice bulbs averaging 6cm diameter, which is adequate flowering size for this small form.
Brunsvigia radulosa Dolomite formbruradradAverage	£69.50		1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
The 'normal' species make medium-sized bulbs only. This form naturally has smaller bulbs still, it is just the nature of this strain. However these are nice bulbs averaging 5cm diameter, which is possibly flowering size for this small form.

Brunsvigia radulosa

There are usually about six leaves, spreading flat on the ground below the flowers. Each has a rough, granular ivory-coloured margin from which the name radulosa derives. The leaf tips are red.

The 30cm flower head is borne on a 40cm stem. Each large ball contains 20-70 blooms. Individual blooms are 4-5cm across. Their crystalline texture and stunning colour is lovely. In this new form it is a very rich, bright deep pink.

It does well in cultivation though it needs attention to good drainage. Culture should be in large pots, or planted out under glass, in a very fertile loam soil with plenty of feeding. Water occasionally but never over-water. If in doubt leave them dry. A dry summer rest, when their leaves die away, is essential. Good air circulation in winter will help to prevent fungal diseases resulting from damp, static air.

This stock is raised from a form that occurs in the central Free State with huge umbels of dark red flowers.

Photo Denis Tsang, with thanks (taken on Drakensberg, near the Lesotho border).

Brunsvigia radulosa Free StatebruradfreestateFlowering	£73.50		1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Flowering sized. These are about 6cm in diameter. This is more than adequate flowering sized for this form. Large view

Brunsvigia species nova Bushmanland

This is a very unusual and attractive dwarf plant with evenly-spaced, raised, quite dense pustules on the leaves, each pustule bearing a short thick golden yellow bristle. The leaves vary between 2 and 4 in number and are usually about 6-10cm long by about 2-3cm wide.

This plant is summer-dormant and winter-growing and rewards good cultivation with a compact,10cm ball-head of very attractive pale pink to near cerise flowers in the autumn soon after growth begins but well before the leaves appear. The ball head is held on a short stem above the ground.

So far known only from limestones in a small area of Bushmanland, where South Africa and Namibia meet. This is likely to be a new, undescribed species, although, at a push, it could be a very peculiar, rare and localised form of our new species from Pellaburg. Either way it is a distinct taxon and one very worthy of cultivation. The generally compact nature of the species means that it is very well suited to container growth, in a well-drained or sandy compost - under glass in UK of course.

Brunsvigia species nova Pelaberg

A rare dwarf species totally unlike all others. Small, Hard-coated bulbs make strap-like, prostrate, bright green leaves,

The flower heads consist of good sized, bright white or very palest pink flowers, in autumn. These are packed into round umbels but as the pedicels extend so this becomes more of an open ball.

Known for many years, in cultivation and in the wild, this Brunsvigia has only recently been investigated and found to be new. It is due to be described and named in the near future assuming the reported baboons stop their depredations!

Originally found in the high desert mountains along the Orange River near Pelaberg where it grows in weathered quartz sands. The altitude of the habitat means that this tolerates cold very well and the sandy, well-drained soil indicates a love of quite dry conditions. In short it is ideal in a pot!

It is one of the most attractive of all of the small Brunsvigia species and is a very beautiful plant, naturally dwarf in stature (and bulb size). Rare and very few available.

Photograph © Denis Tsang, with permission

Tender and Greenhouse bulbs :-

A listing of all of the tender genera that we grow