ABOVE LEFT: Changing forms and colours. The pale pink, small-flowered form of Amaryllis belladonna from the Cape west coast with characteristic prominent contrasting veins and RIGHT, Amaryllis 'Multiflora': a white form Amaryllis magic with yellowish throat flowering at Kirstenbosch. Photos: Graham Duncan.

From controversy to crossbreeding, this beautiful Cape bulb does not fail to enchant.

by Graham Duncan, Kirstenbosch

For many a city-bound motorist, the rush hour journey the world and it has become naturalised in many temperate along the southern end of Cape Town's Union Avenue linking parts, including the Mediterranean coast, the western and the southern suburbs with the city centre, is made more tol­ southern parts of Australia, and in California and New erable around March by the sudden appearance, as if by Zealand. On the Channel Island of Jersey the plant has magic, of hundreds of spear-shaped flower buds from the become such a familiar sight that it is boldly depicted on post bone dry earth in the centre traffic island, that rapidly trans.­ cards there and resolutely referred to as the Jersey lily! form into spectacular heads of deliciously fragrant pink Similarly on one of the well-known terraces at Trescoe Abbey trumpets. Gardens on the Isles of Scilly, a host of A. belladonna provide Amaryllis belladonna, the familiar 'Belladonn Lily' or a brilliant feast of pink each October. 'March Lily', was one of the first Cape bulbs to be taken back For almost fifty years, from 1938 to 1987, a heated debate to Europe, where it has been grown for well over three and a raged between botanists as to the correct application of the half centuries. It was illustrated by the Jesuit priest G.B. name Amaryllis belladonna. The controversy stemmed from Ferrari in Rome as far back as 1633, but it was Linnaeus the fact that over many decades this name had been applied who in 1753 afforded it its modern binomial in his Species to numerous different bulbous plants, by different authors, plantarum. His admiration for our beautiful lily is clearly including the tropical South American and Caribbean reflected in both the generic and specific names with which species Hippeastrum puniceum, as well as the plant we know he chose to describe the species. Amaryllis is derived from so well in South Africa. It was the view of certain American the Greek amarullis, referring to a beautiful Roman shep­ botanists that the name A. belladonna be retained for the herdess often mentioned in the classical mythology of Ovid, South American plant, despite the fact that the type speci­ Theocritus and Virgil, while belladonna is Italian for beauti­ men clearly upheld the identity of the South African plant. fullady. The matter was finally brought to conclusion in 1987 at a Its exquisite blooms, overpoweringly fruity-sweet perfume meeting of the Committee for Spermatophyta, at which and ease of cultivation has endeared it to gardeners around preservation of the name was unanimously supported for the

142 December 2004 Veld&Flora South African plant. Unfortunately, the tunics with age and are exceptionally known respectively by the bigeneric vivid, large-flowered, summer-flowering poisonous due to the presence of names x Amarygia, x Amarcrinum and Hippeastrum hybrids produced by the amaryllid alkaloid compounds. Flower x Amarine. countless million in South Africa and buds emerge from February to April Some of the most successful crosses in many other countries, continue to be and the stout, purplish-green, slightly have been officially recognised and sold under the incorrect, but universal­ compressed flower stems elongate rap­ named, such as x Amarygia bidwellii ly entrenched name of 'gardener's idly, reaching up to 850 cm high. (A. belladonna x Brunsvigia orientalis), amaryllis', and doubtless will be known A. belladonna is easily recognized by raised by the Australian horticulturist as such for decades to come. its long sub-erect, strap-shaped leaves Bidwell in 1870, that produced spec­ The recent discovery of a second and large trumpet-shaped flowers that tacular radial heads of up to forty flow­ species in the genus Amaryllis, A. para­ are usually strongly oriented to one ers. In Australia this hybrid was later disicola, brought about great surprise side. The foliage of A. paradisicola is back-crossed onto A. belladonna, the and excitement in horticultural and broader, shorter and spreading, and progeny of which became known as botanical circles. First discovered in a distinctly oval-shaped, with the leaf Amaryllis 'Multiflora', that produced up leafing state by John Lavranos in a margins curiously wavy, and in both to twenty widely flaring trumpets, remote gorge in the Richtersveld in species the foliage has a prominent including some excellent white-flow­ 1972, hundreds of kilometres north midrib. Flower colour in A. belladonna ered forms with yellowish throats. west of the most northerly known local­ varies in many shades of pink to deep One of the most successful of the x ity for A. belladonna, material of the rose-pink or almost burgundy, rarely Amarcrinum crosses was achieved with mystery bulb could not be accurately pure white, always with a creamy-yel­ A. belladonna x Crinum moorei, that identified due to the absence of flowers. low throat. became known as x Amarcrinum memo­ Leafing bulbs of the plant were sub­ In both species flower colour darkens ria-corsii, and in x Amarine the most sequently found by several more collec­ with age and A. belladonna emits an notable cross was x Amarine tubergenii tors, but were never seen in bloom overwhelming, fruity-sweet fragrance 'Zwanenburg', raised in The until 1995, when Richtersveld National that intensifies at night, attracting the Netherlands in 1940 between A. bel­ Park ranger Johannes Domroch moths that visit them. Flower fragrance ladonna and Nerine bowdenii, and a pressed a single flower he had collect­ is much less intense in A. paradisicola. popular flower bulb crop to this day. ed, and presented it to Dr G. The west coast forms of A. belladonna The uniformly pink flowers of A. par­ Williamson who was conducting a have somewhat smaller flowers with adisicola without the creamy-yellow floristic survey of the Richtersveld at prominently contrasting tepal veins throat typical of A. belladonna, and its the time, but who could not place it in compared to the typical forms, and the generally more floriferous flower head any particular genus with certainty. bulbs tend not to produce offsets as and unusual foliage will provide an Then in the autumn of 1997, Dr readily as their counterparts in the exciting new source of genetic material Williamson and his wife were rewarded fynbos. in amaryllid breeding. when, quite by chance, they came The flowers of A. paradisicola are a Cultivation across a sizeable stand of the magnifi­ clear pale pink to deep rose-pink, with­ While A. belladonna thrives on cent plant in full bloom. out creamy-yellow throats, and gener­ benign neglect, the complaint is often Specimens were collected and ally carry more flowers per inflores­ heard from frustrated gardeners that brought back to the Compton cence than A. belladonna does, and its their bulbs have either never flowered, Herbarium at Kirstenbosch and follow­ flower stalks spread in all directions. or flower very erratically. ing a systematic study of the popula­ The fleshy rounded seeds are creamy­ As is the case with the 'George lily' tion, the plant was finally described as white to pink and are shed in early (Cyrtanthus elatus, previously known new by Dr D. Snijman in 1998. April to coincide with the onset of win­ Both Amaryllis species are restricted ter rains. In nature, A. belladonna is to the winter rainfall zone of South only to be seen flowering in open Africa and are distinctly deciduous, aspects and is adapted to profuse flow­ undergoing a completely dry summer ering following summer bush fires that dormant period. A. belladonna occurs periodically rage across its mountain The recent discovery of in the Fynbos Biome of the Western habitat. Unlike the fynbos amaryllid Cape extending from Clanwilliam in the Cyrtanthus ventricosus that is wholly a second species in the Olifants River Valley to George in the dependent on fire for flowering to sou'thern Cape, primarily in fynbos of occur, this is not the case with A. bel­ genus Amaryllis, lower mountain slopes, but also in ladonna, although flowering is greatly renosterveld of low-lying granite hills enhanced by it, clearing away thick A. paradisicola, brought along the west coast. bush cover that prevents the foliage A. paradisicola is endemic to the arid from getting enough sun. about great surprise Richtersveld in the far north-western A. belladonna, also sometimes corner of the Northern Cape, in the known as 'naked lady' due to the flower and excitement in Succulent Karoo Biome. Both species stems appearing without any foliage, are hysteranthous, producing their has acquired numerous named culti­ horticultural and flowers in early autumn before the vars over the years, and it has been leaves develop in May following the used extensively in the development of botanical circles. onset of winter rains. The large egg­ striking intergeneric crosses, notably shaped bulbs develop hard outer with Brunsvigia, Crinum and Nerine,

December 2004 Veld&Flora 143 as Vallota speciosa), there can be no at the expense of flowers. A. belladonna bright light for as much of the day as doubt that there are certain forms of A. easily adapts to a wide variety of soils, possible when grown under cover. belladonna that are naturally free-flow­ growing best in sandy loam, and is Flowering in A. belladonna diminish­ ering and others that are not. Even remarkably resilient to general garden es markedly once surrounding vegeta­ with free-flowering forms, not every watering during its summer dormant tion becomes too thick and regular bulb flowers every year. period, provided that the soil drains clearing is essential to provide suffi­ As with Cyrtanthus elatus, forms of rapidly. cient sunlight. A. paradisicola responds A. belladonna that reproduce at a rapid The bulbs of A. paradisicola are far well to both lightly shaded and sunny vegetative rate tend not to flower reli­ less obliging and are best grown in conditions. ably, while the converse is true. A pure river-sand, with the addition of a As is the general rule with amaryl­ number of measures can be taken to little finely sifted compost or finely lids, once the bulbs are established, improve flowering performance in milled bark, and they have the added they like to be left severely alone and Amaryllis. requirement of an absolutely dry sum­ only lifted once clumps become too Both A. belladonna and A. paradisi­ mer dormant rest. The bulbs of both thick or soil replenishment is required. cola have very low nutritional require­ species like a warm position but A. bel­ Plant the large egg-shaped bulbs by ments and should not be grown in ladonna must have sufficient light or midsummer so that they are in the soil overly rich soils or receive any supple­ direct sun to flower well. A minimum of before they flower. Bulbs of A. paradis­ mentary feeding, which simply results full morning sun is required for this icola are best planted with the very in the production of luxuriant foliage, species when grown outdoors, or very short, thick neck fully exposed. In tem­ perate climates the bulbs of A. bel­ ladonna are planted with the top of the relatively long narrow neck resting at, or just above soil level, while in colder As is the general rule with amaryllids, once the bulbs parts the top of the neck should rest are established, they like to be left severely alone and just below the surface or even deeper. It is well known in certain amaryllids only lifted once clumps become too thick or soil like Nerine bowdenii that up to three replenishment is required. inflorescence buds can be present in the bulb at any time, each bud having been formed one year apart and thus at a different stage of development. Under ideal conditions, the oldest bud will develop fully and flower, but should unfavourable conditions prevail, or the required stimulus for flowering be received too late, it simply aborts. In many Brunsvigia species and in A. paradisicola, stimulation of the oldest inflorescence bud to successful flower­ ing appears to be triggered by moisture received at a particular time of year. Thus in the Kirstenbosch bulb nursery I have found that a single heavy drench applied to bulbs of A. paradisicola in mid or late February results in suc­ cessful flowering, whereas drenching later than the middle of March results in buds aborting. The fire-adapted A. belladonna appears not to respond to this treatment. Both Amaryllis species make excel­ lent, long-lived container plants, and for A. paradisicola, container cultiva­ tion under cover is really the only prac­ tical manner in which to ensure the bulbs receive a dry summer rest and are protected from excessive rainfall over the winter months, such as is experienced in the southern suburbs of Cape Town. ABOVE: First discovered in a remote gorge in the Richtersveld in 1972, Amaryllis paradisicola was finally Plastic pots or urns with a diameter described as a new species in 1998. Photo: Graham Duncan. of 30-35 cm are suggested for temper­ ate climates of the Southern OPPOSITE: Water-colour painting of Amaryllis belladonna by Fay Anderson, from specimens grown at Kirstenbosch. Hemisphere, while large terracotta pots

144 December 2004 Veld&Flora -r are suited to colder parts of the Propagation adequate growth space for each Northern Hemisphere. Both species are easily propagated by seedling. The often-recommended The virtually indestructible bulbs of their fleshy, rounded seeds. Like most practice of sowing seeds on the soil A. belladonna are admirably suited to members of the family Amaryllidaceae, surface is to be discouraged as the rock garden pockets or the front of the the water-rich seeds don't undergo a seeds move around every time they are herbaceous border, or even planted on dormant period but germinate within a watered and the developing radicle the outside of perimeter walls and few weeks of ripening and cannot be often fails to penetrate the surface. fences. During the winter growing peri­ stored dry for extended periods. As Place the seed trays in a lightly od, a heavy drench once per week is with Crinum and Nerine, the flowers of shaded position under cover, and water recommended for A. belladonna, while Amaryllis are at least partially self fer­ once per week with a fine rose. for the more sensitive A. paradisicola, tile, producing viable seeds without the Germination takes place within four to watering should be delayed to once need for cross-pollination. six weeks and seedlings should be every two weeks. Remove the seeds from the rupturing dried off in the normal manner for the A. belladonna is frost hardy in the capsules before they drop to the summer period. Northern Hemisphere and can be ground and sow them in deep seed A. belladonna seedlings can be pot­ grown outdoors where temperatures do trays or pots in a sharply drained ted up singly into 15 cm diam. plastic not fall below -5°C, such as in the medium such as equal parts of coarse pots at the beginning of their second milder parts of England, provided they river-sand and finely milled compost or season. They can be planted out into have well drained soil and some protec­ bark. permanent containers or into the gar­ tion, such as the base of a south-facing For A. paradisicola the compost/bark den at the beginning of their third sea­ wall. In colder climates, cultivation in component should be reduced consid­ son, and flowering in this species can the cool greenhouse or conservatory is erably to one part compost/bark and be expected from the fifth season recommended. three parts river-sand. onwards, under ideal conditions. As a cut flower, A. belladonna pro­ To prevent overcrowding, press each Seedlings of A. paradisicola should vides an excellent, long lasting display, seed into the medium so that it rests remain in their seed trays for their sec­ affording full appreciation of its strong, just below the surface, allowing about ond season and be potted up singly at fruity-sweet fragrance. 15 mm around each seed to provide the beginning of their third season. The

Amaryllis paradisicola is endemic to the arid Richtersveld in the far north-western corner of the Northern Cape. Photo: Graham Duncan.

146 December 2004 Veld&Flora duration of the juvenile period in A. paradisicola is as yet unknown but I estimate it to be at least seven or eight years, under ideal conditions. Offset production is a reliable method of increasing stocks of A. bel­ ladonna but the bulbs of A. paradisico­ la are almost always solitary and have to be propagated by seed. Offsets can be removed from the mother bulb at any stage of the summer rest period or even in early winter as the bulbs com­ mence active growth. They are removed by gentle tugging, and should not be forcibly broken off as this may cause excessive damage to the basal plate. Damaged surfaces should be dusted with a fungicide such as Captab and be replanted as soon as possible to prevent excessive desicca­ tion of the perennial fleshy roots. Pests The most important pest affecting amaryllids in general, and Amaryllis in particular in southern Africa, is the lily borer (Brithys pancrati!), also known as - '~ amaryllis caterpillar. The dull brown ~. , noctuid moth lays her eggs on flower t\· buds, stalks and stems, and on the The distinctive oval-shaped foliage of Amaryllis paradisicola. Both Amaryllis species make excellent, long­ lived container plants. Photo: Graham Duncan. undersides of leaves. The voracious caterpillars are evi­ dently immune to the highly toxic alka­ loid compounds found in members of ,. ." the family Amaryllidaceae, and rapidly bore into the tissue, causing it to turn .... '. .. black and disintegrate. Every part of the plant falls prey to this devastating pest, and although tremendous damage is caused, it sel­ dom results in death of mature bulbs. Large caterpillars can be picked off by hand, or affected parts can be cut transfer of viral disease from infected to general garden centres in South Africa, away, and in severe infestations, pre­ healthy plants, for which there is no but specialist seed and bulb nurseries ventative spraying with a carbaryl­ cure. In the Northern Hemisphere, nar­ do stock them from time to time. based insecticide is highly effective. cissus bulb fly and red spider mite Material of A. paradisicola is as yet The bulb necks are sometimes sub­ infestation of foliage are problematic, unavailable but once the nursery stock ject to heavy infestation by the univer­ the latter especially when grown under at Kirstenbosch has increased suffi­ sal mealy bug scourge when grown enclosed, warm conditions. ciently, bulbs will be made available at under enclosed conditions, and slugs Sources of supply the Kirstenbosch Garden Centre, and and snails are partial to the leaves and It is surprising that bulbs of A. bel­ at Botanical Society Plant Fairs and are sometimes responsible for the ladonna are so difficult to come by at Rare Plant Fairs in Cape Town.

Further reading Duncan, G.D. 1989. Amaryllis. In: Du Plessis N.M. & Duncan, G.D., Bulbous Plants of Southern Africa: 103. Tafelberg, Cape Town. Dyer, R.A. 1955. Amaryllis belladonna. The Flowering Plants of Africa 30: I. 1200. Farmar, H. 1951. Amaryllis belladonna - its varieties and its hybrids. Journal of the Royal Horticultural Society 76: 391-398. Ferrari, G.B. 1633. De florum cultura libri IV: 1.121. Rome. Hannibal, L.S. 1980. Amar-Bruns-Crinum. Bulletin of the Indigenous Bulb Association of South Africa 30: 3-5. Snijman, D.A. & Williamson, G. 1998. A new species of Amaryllis from the Richtersveld, South Africa. Bothalia 28 (2): 192-196. Williamson, G. 2000. Richtersveld - the enchanted wilderness. Umdaus Press, Pretoria.

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