Cyrtanthus breviflorus
Taxonomy and growth
- Family
- Amaryllidaceae
- Genus
- Cyrtanthus
- Foliage
- evergreen
- Height
- 0.3 m
- Spread
- 0.1 m
- Fertility
- Insects
- Flower type
- hermaphrodite
- Pollinators
- Insects
Uses
Edible uses
A food plant[2]. No more details are given.
- Plant part
- Leaves
Environment
- Range
- S. Africa.
- Habitat
- Small streams, wet grassland or marshy slopes, to 3000 metres [5].
- Light
- full sun
- Shade tolerance
- no shade
- Water
- high
- Hardiness
- Zone 9+
- Soil textures
- sandy
- Soil pH
- acid, neutral, alkaline
- Drainage
- well drained
- Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
- No
- Drought
- intolerant
Propagation
Seed - best sown in a greenhouse as soon as it is ripe, otherwise in spring. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Division of offsets after flowering.
Cultivation
Easily grown in a moist soil[5]. Requires a free-draining light soil in full sun[3]. This species is not very hardy in Britain, it tolerates temperatures down to about -5° if it is growing in a warm sheltered position in a well-drained soil[4]. It is best given some protection over winter[1]. Plants are deciduous in colder climates[4]. It is best to keep the plants fairly dry when they are resting[4]. A very variable plant[5].
References
F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00
Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169
Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-86318-386-7
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Phillips. R. and Rix. M. Bulbs Pan Books 1989-00-00 ISBN 0-330-30253-1