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Haemanthus coccineus

Garden, Forres St, Whanganui.<br>Photographer: Colin C. Ogle, Date taken: 15/03/2015, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>

Garden, Forres St, Whanganui. Flowers surrounded by scarlet bracts (spathe).<br>Photographer: Colin C. Ogle, Date taken: 15/03/2015, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>

Garden, Forres St, Whanganui.<br>Photographer: Colin C. Ogle, Date taken: 05/03/2013, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>

Dying leaves (new ones appear after flowering in February); garden, Whanganui.<br>Photographer: Colin C. Ogle, Date taken: 29/11/2016, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>

Reddish markings on basal portion of leaf underside; garden, Whanganui.<br>Photographer: Colin C. Ogle, Date taken: 29/11/2016, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>

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Common names

Blood lily, blood flower

Biostatus

Exotic

Conservation status

Not applicable

Structural class

Herbs - Monocots

Simplified description

Large subterranean bulb from which flower heads emerge February-March (in NZ). Each head of flowers is surrounded by scarlet bracts. Some weeks after flowering the large lark green fleshy leaves appear, two or three per bulb. Petioles red-spotted. The leaves die off in November-December.

Flower colours

Red/Pink

Detailed taxonomy

Genus

Haemanthus

Family

Amaryllidaceae

Authority

Haemanthus coccineus L.

Synonyms

Wikipedia cites the following synonyms:
Haemanthus callosus Burch. ex Baker;
Haemanthus carinatus L.;
Haemanthus coarctatus Jacq.;
Haemanthus concolor Herb.;
Haemanthus crassipes Jacq.;
Haemanthus hookerianus Herb.;
Haemanthus hyalocarpus Jacq.;
Haemanthus latifolius Salisb.;
Haemanthus moschatus Jacq.;
Haemanthus splendens Dinter;
Haemanthus tigrinus Jacq.;
Perihemia coarctata (Jacq.) Raf.

Ecology

Fruiting

Translucent, fleshy berries are set occasionally in cultivation in NZ.

Year naturalised

2005, as garden discard

Origin

South Africa, Namibia

Reason for introduction

Ornamental

Propagation technique

Bulb division; seed

Referencing and citations

References and further reading

http://www.plantzafrica.com/planthij/haemancoc.htm

Attribution

Fact sheet prepared by Colin C Ogle, 13 Oct 2016

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