Nerine bowdenii

Sunset

Nerine bowdenii, photo courtesy of Bob Wigand

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Zones 5, 6, 8, 9, 13-24

Full, Partial

Moderate

Amaryllidaceae
Bulbs and bulblike plants, Perennials, Flowers

NERINE

South African relatives of spider lily (Lycoris), which they closely resemble. Most have strap-shapedleaves to about 1 ft. long; these die back well before bloom time in late summer or early fall, then reappear later in the year (typically around bloom time or shortly afterward). Some types are essentially evergreen.All have broad, funnel-shapedflowers carried in clusters atopleafless stems; each blossomhas six spreading segmentsthat are recurved at their tips.

Same planting instructions, cultural conditions as for Lycoris.Withhold summer water for species that experience summer dormancy, but keep watering the essentially evergreen kinds. As is true for Lycoris, theseplants can be grown in pots inareas beyond their hardinessrange or where soil cannot bekept dry for summer-dormanttypes.

Nerine bowdenii

Lightly scented flowers to 3 in. long, soft pink marked with deeper pink, in clusters of 8–12 on 2-ft. stems. Forms with tallerstems and larger flower clusters are available in deeper pink, crimson, and red.