Care of the bulbous plant Cyrtanthus elatus or Scarborough lily |
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The genus Cyrtanthus, family Amaryllidaceae, includes 55 species of bulbous herbaceous plants native to Africa. Some species are: Cyrtanthus elatus, Cyrtanthus falcatus, Cyrtanthus brachyscyphus, Cyrtanthus mackenii, Cyrtanthus bicolor. Common names: Scarborough lily, George lily, Fire lily. This species is native to the Cape Province of South Africa. They are bulbous plants that reach 50 cm (1.64 feet) in height. The leaves emerge from the bulb, are ribbon-shaped and are bronze at the base and green at the rest. The showy red (sometimes orange or yellow) flowers appear in clusters of up to 10 funnel-shaped flowers. They bloom in the second half of summer. They are used in pots and to create beautiful clumps in the garden along with other bulbous plants. The Cyrtanthus elatus needs a very illuminated exposure to flower correctly and annual average temperatures between 18-25 ºC (64-77 ºF). It is convenient that in winter it rests at 10-12 ºC (50-53.6 ºF). The soil can be a mixture, in equal parts, of coarse sand, leaf mulch, and peat. The planting of the bulbs is done between late spring and early summer. Water moderately, waiting for the surface of the soil to dry. In summer slightly increase watering. Fertilize with mineral fertilizer every 15 days in spring and with mineral fertilizer rich in potassium during flowering (also fortnightly). Prune the withered flower stalk. They can suffer bulb rot if there is excess watering. They propagate in spring by separating the bulblets that the plant itself produces. |
Images of the bulbous plant Cyrtanthus elatus or Scarborough lily |
 Cyrtanthus elatus |