Cryptostephanus is a genus in the Amaryllidaceae family and is most closely related to Clivia. There are three species in this genus. Plants have a thick fleshy rhizome, are smaller than Clivia and have a different set of floral pigments. Two similar species once included in this genus are now classified as Cyrtanthus herrei and Cyrtanthus merkenskyanus. However, these have bulbs and flat seeds, unlike Cryptostephanus.
Cryptostephanus densiflorus is native to areas from Angola to Namibia. It has 20-30 dark purple flowers.
Cryptostephanus haemanthoides is native to SE Kenya to Tanzania. It is a deciduous species with red or purple flowers that some people have found to be difficult in cultivation. John Grimshaw has seen it growing in northern Tanzania in decomposed granite soil with not much humus, in seasonally very dry and hot areas. Rainfall there was about 500 mm/pa, but there was a dry season of 6 months or more. This species grows and flowers in the summer rainy season, when it must compete with rapidly growing grasses and other plants; in the dry season its sites look like a dry stubble field. In cultivation, it requires warm temperature, even in the dry dormant period. It is successfully grown by Harold Koopowitz in a 1 gallon (4L) container with a mix of 1:1 organic matter to pumice. Temperature ranged from 10-35C (50-95F). The plants go dormant in winter and drop their leaves. At this time water should be reduced but not withheld. While in growth they should be fed with a well-balanced fertilizer. The photo below from Jacob Knecht shows a young plant emerging from dormancy in Honolulu, Hawai'i.
Cryptostephanus vansonii is an evergreen species native to eastern Zimbabwe to western Mozambique. It was originally described as having purple flowers. In cultivation there are white and pink forms. Fresh seeds germinate easy to moderately easy and blooms in a couple years. Blooming time seems to be erratic. The one pictured was grown from seed from Silverhill Seeds. Most people grow it much as they do Clivia, but it doesn't require as much shade. Many of the white flowers have a pinkish cast to them. The flowers have gotten better each year. There are three scapes all blooming at the same time this year. These were taken October 2006 by Lee Poulsen.
