Nerine

Nerine angustifolia

A little seen species but one with a lot to recommend it. It makes just a few, narrow, channelled, hairless leaves up to 30cm long and seldom more than 3mmm wide. The leaves appear with, or just after, the flowers.

The flowers are held on 25-45cm stems and are soft to mid shell pink with wavy margins to the upper half of each petal. Most spikes consist of 6-10 flowers, each about 4cm long with wide, spreading petals each of which has a darker, central stripe. Flowering is in Autumn and spikes appear with regularity.

In the wild this is limited to the high veld of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland where it grows in summer rainfall areas. In cultivation it is pleasantly easy, flowering is dependable. A fertile compost with additional humus seems more than acceptable, feeding will build larger bulbs and achieve more flowers but this is a tolerant plant.

The foliage in the photo is NOT that of the Nerine, but of a Tulbaghia growing behind it.

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Nerine bowdenii wellsii

The high altitude form from the Drakensberg Mountains, where the bulbs are reported to be regularly (lightly) frosted and (heavily) covered in ice.

It has grown here, for many years, both inside and outside our glasshouses, unfazed in the filthiest of winters and it flowers regularly. The foliage appears later, remains green all summer and persists at flowering time.

This is a fine, deeply-coloured, large-flowered form. Very tall flower spikes (95cm) appear in autumn with numerous, highly crinkled flowers. Secondary flowers develop in spring on occasion.

Supposedly smaller-flowered than the typical plant, but in fact substantially larger here and making very large bulbs and big growths. Very hardy.

Propagated from a stock gifted to us by Harry Hay many years ago this is a magnificent plant. It is hard to credit that it is 'just' a form of bowdenii.

Nerine bowdenii wellsiinerbowwel	£15.50		1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
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Nerine falcata

A relative of N. laticoma this is horticulturally very distinct with upright light green leaves below huge spherical umbels of strongly recurved, large, bright-pink flowers each borne on a 25cm long peduncle.

Each flower has petals up to 4.5cm long, and the effect of the long peduncles and large brightly coloured flowers is show-stopping. This is an exceptionally beautiful form of a good species, with a dark midrib running the length of each petal.

The bulb is large and needs a good sized pot or a free root run to do itself justice. In warmer climates it will grow outside but in UK the plants need glass. They like high, even very high, summer temperatures but a completely dry winter period.

Plant the bulbs with their necks at soil level in a sandy, well-drained compost which contains only a small amount of organic matter. Water aplenty in summer while the plant is growing, but allow the soil to dry out between waterings.

Flowers are borne from the current season’s growth, in autumn, so it is up to your skills if they flower or not.

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Nerine filamentosa

This is a summer-growing, evergreen plant with autumnal flowers. The leaves are thin and thread-like and are present with the 2cm pink flowers held in a flattened umbel of 3 or 4 blossoms on a scape 15-25cm tall.

The tepals recurve strongly, and the filaments extend straight out in front of the flower almost an inch beyond the tepals. The scape is sparsely covered with short bristly hairs.

Native to a small region within the Eastern Cape Province. Culture presents no problems in standard bulb conditions under glass.

Nerine filifolia

Small bulbs, thin thread-like leaves and a 25cm spike of small, bright pink, symmetrical flowers from September to November.

Easy to grow and a very lovely dwarf species. This is evergreen although it needs to be 'dry stressed' in summer to make it flower properly in the autumn. If it does not get this ripening it simply stays green and fails to flower. If it is dried off somewhat it still remains green but it makes flowers as well!

Found in the eastern Cape region, Transkei, orange Free State and Swaziland, apparently on shallow soils over rocks, or between rocks.

Photo, Kenpei, Wikimedia, with thanks.

Nerine flexuosa alba

Bright green leaves and a stem up to 80 cm (usually less) with large, declined flowers of pure white in this form, again with the edges of the petals attractively crinkled.

Starts flowering in September but makes odd flowers until March.

Nerine flexuosa albanerflealb	£5.50

Nerine frithii

This is one of the least recorded of the South African Nerine species. Most of the records are from the first half of the last century and relate to remote areas now used for grazing native cattle. It has only been seen recently in an area spanning about 20 sq. km in the N. W. Province. Here its natural habitat is in soil-filled depressions over dolomite (magnesium rich limestone).

The plant itself is a gem, with narrow deciduous, filiform leaves that sit unobtrusively below the spike of up to 15 flowers. These are white, or rarely pale pink, with ruffled petal edges, and are flared open, widely to reveal, in their centres, a deeper pink-red throat patch.

Despite its wild rarity it has proven easy in cultivation in a well drained, soil-based compost, potted under glass.

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seed raised, very close to flowering sized, perhaps even large enough as this species makes only a VERY small bulb. Large view

Nerine gibsonii

This is a highly restricted and vulnerable species, threatened in all of its few locations by grazing, degradation, road widening and bulldozing.

The plant was found as long ago as 1910 but not named until 1966 and remains both rare and elusive. The true species is white. Pink populations are known but may be hybrid, containing other species. We only grow the white form of species, which is true.

Stems up to 30cm tall with very narrow leaves, are held below a spike of glittering, white blooms, thinly edged with pale pink. The petals are broad, undulate and strongly reflexed. Umbels bear up to 9 flowers each.

A native of stream banks, in heavy, wet, black, acid soil. In the wild the bulbs are dormant over the cold winter period but in cultivation it is virtually evergreen. From summer until late autumn it likes heavy watering. Then it can be kept almost dry through winter. It likes an acid, well-drained, compost - equal parts (by volume) of coarse river sand and peaty compost, with the top of the neck at soil level. Leave undisturbed for 4-5 years for best flowering. The bulbs do not increase rapidly.

Nerine gibsonii mediumnergibgib medium	£19.50		1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
raised from seed and now just a year from flowering sized (or very nearly so) Large view

Nerine gracilis

Yet another one of South Africa’s rarer species of Nerine, this is a very little known and endangered plant, resembling a Hessea with narrow deciduous foliage which dies away before the 20cm flower stem appears. These bear spikes of medium sized, starry, shell pink, light pink or pinkish-mauve flowers in summer. The edges of the petals are beautifully crinkled and crisped.

Sharply-drained, sandy soil is best and they do well when potted and then dried off in summer.

Nerine gracilis used to be a common species in moist, short grassland found around sheets of exposed dolerite in western Mpumalanga in South Africa, (incidentally temperatures there frequently drop below 0ºC during the winter months). It is now well on its way to extinction, entirely due to habitat destruction caused by over-grazing. It is however readily cultivated and these are flowering-sized bulbs guaranteed to be nursery-raised (Red Data book plant).

Nerine hirsuta

A small plant with tiny, thread-like, slightly hairy leaves only about 15cm long. These are borne at the same time as the flowers.

These are equally miniature, very pale-pink flowers held in small clusters on 15-20cm stems. With increasing age, the flowers darken subtly to mid-pink. Flowering starts in late summer and continues into very late in the autumn.

A delightful little miniature species, excellent in a pot. Loam-based compost with added humus and good drainage.

Nerine humilis humilis

This is from southern Cape province in South Africa. It is a deciduous, winter growing plant with long thin, thread-like leaves that may reach 30cm, but are never conspicuous.

In contrast, the autumnal flowers certainly are! There can be up to 20, in hues of pale to mid pink and these are characterised by a deep red stripe on their petals.

Photo © Dennis Tsang, with permission (and thanks)

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Nerine laticoma alba

This is a superb, summer-growing Nerine, with lovely lime-green leaves which are present at flowering time but which die away in winter when the species is dormant.

N. laticoma bears a huge spherical flower head of zygomorphic flowers each of which can be 4.5cm long. As a rule the segments are recurved. In this rare form the flowers, borne in mid to late summer, are white with a beige or pink longitudinal stripe on each flower petal.

This normal species itself is found from the dry inland parts of Namibia to southern Botswana, South Africa and Lesotho, usually in large colonies on deep, red, sandy soils however in one small area of the western Limpopo River basin, colonies of white flowered plants are known and it is from these plants that our stock has been raised.

The huge umbels filled with up to 40 white flowers resemble those of a Brunsvigia and are particularly ornamental and attractive. Not at all difficult and conveniently dormant in winter. A large pot or greenhouse bed will suit this plant with a loam-based fertile compost and good feeding to build maximum size.

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specimen sized, they do not get bigger than this, averaging 6cm diameter and 8cm tall Large view
Nerine laticoma albanerlatalb	£24.50		1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Large bulbs, averaging 5cm in diameter and 7cm tall. Flowering sized. Large view

Nerine masoniorum

A dwarf plant with a 20cm flower stem that can carry 12, white to rose flowers with a darker, almost magenta, base and tube. The petals are heavily crinkled and folded all along their length.

A superb little miniature species. Although winter dormant, it is more accurately called 'green dormant' as it has leaves present in winter. These, like the plant, are miniature and are also very thin and grass like, not obtrusive in any way.

Pot growth under glass, where several bulbs will fit into a 10-12cm pot of your favourite, well-drained, fertile, loam based compost.

The Botanical Code (2006), 60C(b) specifically cites the correct spelling of the epithet honouring Mason, father and daughter together as masoniorum.

Nerine platypetala

A spectacular marginal water plant from south eastern Transvaal where it is limited to a small area in swamps. In the wild it is apparently frosted severely in the winter although it is a deciduous, summer-growing species, so it is dormant when it is frozen.

It is readily grown in a damp soil and flowers in mid summer if nice and wet then. The flowers are striking and amongst the largest of the genus, in shades of deep pink (rarely to pale pink or white). The base is infused with deeper red, with a stripe of the same colour continuing along the length of the petal.

A superb new and little known plant every bit as marvellous as bowdenii. Hardiness is as yet untested, but it may, in time, be worth risking outside!

Photograph courtesy of Gunma Botanical Garden, Japan.

Nerine undulata

(crispa)

Stems of 30-40cm with 8-12 good-sized flowers of palest pink, the edges of the petals crinkled and crisped contrasting with plum-coloured anthers.

Very worthwhile for its October flowers (and sporadic flowers throughout the year in response to re-wetting after dryness) both under glass or as a cut flower. Perhaps hardy but this will be experimental and borderline in UK.

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flowering sized bulbs Large view