New
Zoom the image with the mouse
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
Fragrance:
Sweet
Zones:
8b-11
Color:
various; look at options
Planting Depth:
1-2 inches deep
Soil:
well drained
Light:
filtered or Morning sun then shade preferred
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 8b–11 when planted in the ground; it’s also perfectly suited for containers in colder zones. Blooming begins around May/June, 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. The height and filtered sunlight make this bulb ideal for container growing indoors or out.
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 and spreads about 8-12 inches wide. The blooms will begin around June in zone 8 and last for 2-3 weeks. In the warmer zones of 10 and 11, the foliage can begin to emerge as early as April. Blooms will show up around March. Though in ideal conditions, this can be semi-evergreen and flower multiple times per year.
Planting Requirements - Sun and Water: These tropical rhizomes do best in well-drained soil, but during active growth you can water more often. Allow the soil to dry slightly between waterings. Plant the rhizomes 2-3 inches deep. It does best with morning sun and then shade the rest of the day or with filtered sun like under trees. 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 allowed to go dormant and moved indoors when the temperatures drop.
Blooms and Foliage: You can choose blooms in red, cream-white, or Himalayn Pink. The blooms will begin around June in zone 8 and last for 2-3 weeks. Each bloom stalk carries multiple flowers that open in succession, extending the overall display to 2–3 weeks per stem. As the days get shorter and cooler in October, the foliage will begin yellowing and going dormant around November in zone 8 and 9. In ideal conditions in the warmer zones of 10 and 11, this can be semi-evergreen and flower multiple times per year. Otherwise, the foliage can begin to emerge as early as April. Blooms will show up around March. Regular light feeding and watering can reduce the stress on the bulbs and encourage it to bloom more often. You can also deadhead the spent flowers to encourage more bloom spikes.
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: Many pollinators love these flowers for their deep pollen and nectar. Bees, butterflies, and even hummingbirds enjoy these flowers. However, the deer and rabbit do not so feel free to plant them and enjoy!
* The picture of the white cyrtanthus mackenii is used with permission by Kenpei on Wikimedia Commons, used under CC BY-SA 4.0 Link to license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Share:
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 8b–11 when planted in the ground; it’s also perfectly suited for containers in colder zones. Blooming begins around May/June, 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. The height and filtered sunlight make this bulb ideal for container growing indoors or out.
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 and spreads about 8-12 inches wide. The blooms will begin around June in zone 8 and last for 2-3 weeks. In the warmer zones of 10 and 11, the foliage can begin to emerge as early as April. Blooms will show up around March. Though in ideal conditions, this can be semi-evergreen and flower multiple times per year.
Planting Requirements - Sun and Water: These tropical rhizomes do best in well-drained soil, but during active growth you can water more often. Allow the soil to dry slightly between waterings. Plant the rhizomes 2-3 inches deep. It does best with morning sun and then shade the rest of the day or with filtered sun like under trees. 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 allowed to go dormant and moved indoors when the temperatures drop.
Blooms and Foliage: You can choose blooms in red, cream-white, or Himalayn Pink. The blooms will begin around June in zone 8 and last for 2-3 weeks. Each bloom stalk carries multiple flowers that open in succession, extending the overall display to 2–3 weeks per stem. As the days get shorter and cooler in October, the foliage will begin yellowing and going dormant around November in zone 8 and 9. In ideal conditions in the warmer zones of 10 and 11, this can be semi-evergreen and flower multiple times per year. Otherwise, the foliage can begin to emerge as early as April. Blooms will show up around March. Regular light feeding and watering can reduce the stress on the bulbs and encourage it to bloom more often. You can also deadhead the spent flowers to encourage more bloom spikes.
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: Many pollinators love these flowers for their deep pollen and nectar. Bees, butterflies, and even hummingbirds enjoy these flowers. However, the deer and rabbit do not so feel free to plant them and enjoy!
* The picture of the white cyrtanthus mackenii is used with permission by Kenpei on Wikimedia Commons, used under CC BY-SA 4.0 Link to license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
