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Cyrtanthus mackenii - bulbs
Scientific:
Cyrtanthus mackenii
Bulbs/Pack:
rhizomes
Planting Time:
When available but avoid hard freeze
Shipping Period:
When Available
Bloom Period:
May/June
Bloom Size:
6-10 flowers per umbel
Zones:
8-11
Color:
various; look at options
Planting Depth:
1-2 inches deep
Soil:
well drained
Light:
full sun to partial shade
Height:
12-18 inches
Wildlife:
Resistant
Reliability:
Reliable
$15.00
Bright, charming, and surprisingly tough, Cyrtanthus mackenii is a delightful bulb that adds cheerful clusters of tubular blooms to summer gardens with minimal effort. Hardy in zones 8–11 when planted in the ground; it’s also perfectly suited for containers in colder zones. Blooming begins around May, with dainty, delicate-looking flowers that belie the resilience of this dependable rhizome. You will absolutely want this at the front of your garden bed or in pots for fun conversations.
What to expect: The foliage will begin to appear once the soil temperature is consistently about 65 degrees - around late May. The narrow, grass-like foliage will be about 12-18 inches tall. The blooms will begin around late August/early September and last for 4-6 weeks. As the days get shorter and cooler in October, the blooming will taper off. The foliage will begin yellowing and going dormant around November in zone 8 and 9. In the warmer zones of 10 and 11, the foliage can begin to emerge as early as April, but if the winter was mild, the foliage may stay all winter long. Blooms will start as early as late June or July and last for 6-10 weeks with regular watering.
Planting Requirements - Sun and Water: These tropical rhizomes do best in well-drained soil that is kept moist by regular watering during the growing season. Plant the rhizomes 2-3 inches deep. In zones 10 & 11, it does best with morning sun and then shade the rest of the day. This rhizome benefits from regular fertilization during the growing season as long as you continue to water it well. These rhizomes grow quickly so plant each one about 3-4 inches apart. It prefers to be dry when dormant.
This works great in a pot which allows you to place this fun little plant wherever you want while entertaining on your patio. It can be moved indoors when the temperatures drop.
Blooms and Foliage:
Mulitplying:
Cyrtanthus mackenii is easy to propagate. It produces offsets (daughter bulbs) readily, which can be separated from the parent bulb when they're large enough—typically in early spring. Take care not to let the fleshy perennial roots dry out; replant the bulbs immediately and water them thoroughly.
You can also grow Cyrtanthus mackenii from seed. After blooming, if the flowers were pollinated, the plant may produce little seed pods. These pods will split open to release flat, papery seeds which are easy to collect. You can either scratch the seeds into the ground and wait to see if they produce new growth over the next 2-3 years, or you can sow seeds in early spring using a deep seed tray filled with the same soil mix recommended for mature bulbs. Lightly cover the thin, black, papery seeds with 3–4 mm of soil, and keep them moist using a gentle spray. Fresh seeds usually germinate within four weeks, and under ideal conditions, the seedlings may begin to flower by their third growing season.
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Details
Bright, charming, and surprisingly tough, Cyrtanthus mackenii is a delightful bulb that adds cheerful clusters of tubular blooms to summer gardens with minimal effort. Hardy in zones 8–11 when planted in the ground; it’s also perfectly suited for containers in colder zones. Blooming begins around May, with dainty, delicate-looking flowers that belie the resilience of this dependable rhizome. You will absolutely want this at the front of your garden bed or in pots for fun conversations.
What to expect: The foliage will begin to appear once the soil temperature is consistently about 65 degrees - around late May. The narrow, grass-like foliage will be about 12-18 inches tall. The blooms will begin around late August/early September and last for 4-6 weeks. As the days get shorter and cooler in October, the blooming will taper off. The foliage will begin yellowing and going dormant around November in zone 8 and 9. In the warmer zones of 10 and 11, the foliage can begin to emerge as early as April, but if the winter was mild, the foliage may stay all winter long. Blooms will start as early as late June or July and last for 6-10 weeks with regular watering.
Planting Requirements - Sun and Water: These tropical rhizomes do best in well-drained soil that is kept moist by regular watering during the growing season. Plant the rhizomes 2-3 inches deep. In zones 10 & 11, it does best with morning sun and then shade the rest of the day. This rhizome benefits from regular fertilization during the growing season as long as you continue to water it well. These rhizomes grow quickly so plant each one about 3-4 inches apart. It prefers to be dry when dormant.
This works great in a pot which allows you to place this fun little plant wherever you want while entertaining on your patio. It can be moved indoors when the temperatures drop.
Blooms and Foliage:
Mulitplying:
Cyrtanthus mackenii is easy to propagate. It produces offsets (daughter bulbs) readily, which can be separated from the parent bulb when they're large enough—typically in early spring. Take care not to let the fleshy perennial roots dry out; replant the bulbs immediately and water them thoroughly.
You can also grow Cyrtanthus mackenii from seed. After blooming, if the flowers were pollinated, the plant may produce little seed pods. These pods will split open to release flat, papery seeds which are easy to collect. You can either scratch the seeds into the ground and wait to see if they produce new growth over the next 2-3 years, or you can sow seeds in early spring using a deep seed tray filled with the same soil mix recommended for mature bulbs. Lightly cover the thin, black, papery seeds with 3–4 mm of soil, and keep them moist using a gentle spray. Fresh seeds usually germinate within four weeks, and under ideal conditions, the seedlings may begin to flower by their third growing season.
Animals:
