Haemanthus species M-Z are found on this wiki page.


Haemanthus A-CHaemanthus D-L


Haemanthus montanus is found in grassland and seasonal wetlands in the eastern region of South Africa. It grows in small areas of poorly drained shallow soil with an impervious substratum. It completes its annual cycle in four to five months, the period during which its fairly hostile habitat remains moist. It occurs in dense stands with large cream flowers appearing from December to January (mid summer), rapidly followed by two upright leaves. The seed ripens by mid-February and germinates rapidly around the parent plants. The leaves dry off and blow away by the end of May when all signs of the bulb population have vanished. Photos by Cameron McMaster of two wild populations and one taken by Liz Waterman August 2004 at the UC Botanical Garden in Berkeley, California.
Haemanthus montanus, Cameron McMaster Haemanthus montanus, Cameron McMaster Haemanthus montanus, Liz Waterman


Haemanthus namaquensis is a rare species from Namaqualand, South Africa. The leaves are hard, waxy and blue-green. The form pictured here is from near Steinkopf. It's one of my favourite Haemanthus species. Photos by Jacob Knecht.
Haemanthus namaquensis bloom, Jacob Knecht Haemanthus namaquensis, Jacob Knecht Haemanthus namaquensis, Jacob Knecht


Haemanthus nortieri is a rare species that produces just one single, sticky, erect paddle-shapped leaf each winter. The third macro shot illustrates this sticky quality. We were very excited to have this bloom for the first time in the summer of 2007. Photos by Jacob Knecht.
Haemanthus nortieri bloom, Jacob Knecht Haemanthus nortieri leaf, Jacob Knecht Haemanthus nortieri stickiness, Jacob Knecht


Haemanthus pauculifolius has only one leaf, but since it is evergreen and the leaf persists it may exhibit two. It is a newly described (1993) summer rainfall species. Photos by Cameron McMaster and Mary Sue Ittner
Haemanthus pauculifolius, Cameron McMaster Haemanthus pauculifolius, Mary Sue Ittner Haemanthus pauculifolius, Mary Sue Ittner


Haemanthus pubescens is found on the sandy coastal plain from southern Namibia to Cape Town. It flowers March to April, occasionally earlier and is in leaf from March to October. It has 4 to 5 large fleshy spathe valves which surround the bright pink or sometimes pink flowers.

Haemanthus pubescens subsp. arenicolus This subspecies is found in Southern Namibia and Namaqualand. It has recurved leaves. It usually blooms a bit earlier than some of the other subspecies. Since the basal disc persists the bulbs are usually elongated and often have an extended root zone. Photo of the leaves taken by Alan Horstmann. Two more photos by Jacob Knecht. The latter shows light hairs on the leaf margin.
Haemanthus pubescens subsp. arenicolus, Alan Hortsmann Haemanthus pubescens subsp. arenicolus, Jacob Knecht Haemanthus pubescens subsp. arenicolus, Jacob Knecht


Haemanthus sanguineus has a wide distribution and is found in seasonally moist habitats on mountains and coastal flats, mainly in winter rainfall areas. It has two leaves pressed to the ground that are dry at flowering and red to pink flowers on a somewhat compressed compact umbel. Although the flowers resemble Haemanthus coccieus, the leaves are tough and leathery, rounder in shape with a distinct reddish margin and always flat on the ground. There are no markings on the underside of the leaves. This plant flowers late summer to fall (January to April). It is in leaf from April until November. Photos by Cameron McMaster. The last two photos show a form from Cape Agulhas with a U.S. ten cent piece for scale (2cm), grown by Jacob Knecht.
Haemanthus sanguineus, Cameron McMaster Haemanthus sanguineus, Cameron McMaster Haemanthus sanguineus, Kleinmond, Cameron McMaster Haemanthus sanguineus, CameronMcMaster Haemanthus sanguineus ex. Cape Agulhas, Jacob Knecht Haemanthus sanguineus ex. Cape Agulhas, Jacob Knecht

These photos by Cameron McMaster were taken in Napier in the Overberg. The first shows a bud appearing between the dried leaves in January. The second taken in August shows the very flat on the ground leaves. The last shows a group flowering after a fire.
Haemanthus sanguineus Haemanthus sanguineus Haemanthus sanguineus

While not able to match the photos above, I had to enter this one which is the first time that it has bloomed for me here is So. California. Photo by Doug Westfall
Haemanthus sanguineus


Haemanthus sp. nova ex. Aus is possibly a new species from the region near Aus, Namibia. The leaves are a very bright green, uprightly arching, thick, and shiny with a recurving leaf margin. No markings are present on the leaf undersides. The leaves in the picture were photographed at only under half of the length they grow to each winter. It might eventually be determined to be an H. coccineus, but more study is necessary. Photos by Jacob Knecht.
Haemanthus sp. nova ex. Aus, Jacob Knecht Haemanthus sp. nova ex. Aus, Jacob Knecht


Haemanthus sp. nova ex. Huib Plateau is most likely a new species from the Huib Plateau in Namibia. Its miniature stature, light leaf colour, and thin leaves combined with its markings and hirsute margins make it very unique. The brown leaves surrounding it are on average 6cm in length. Photo by Jacob Knecht.
Haemanthus sp. nova ex. Huib Plateau, Jacob Knecht


Haemanthus sp. nova ex. Lüderitz is most likely a new species from the area of Lüderitz, Namibia. Its ovate, glaucous appressed leaves make it unique. Additionally its inflorescence is somewhat diminutive and thin. Photos by Jacob Knecht.
Haemanthus sp. nova ex. Lüderitz, Jacob Knecht Haemanthus sp. nova ex. Lüderitz, Jacob Knecht


Haemanthus sp. nova ex. Namaskluft is very likely to be a new species. It is from the area of Namaskluft, Namibia. It's a miniature species (see finger for scale) with thick appressed leaves that are very densely hirsute. The markings on the leaf undersides, in combination with the aforementioned foliar attributes make this unique. Photos by Jacob Knecht.
Haemanthus sp. nova ex. Namaskluft, Jacob Knecht Haemanthus sp. nova ex. Namaskluft, Jacob Knecht Haemanthus sp. nova ex. Namaskluft, Jacob Knecht


Haemanthus spp.
The plants below appear to be a miniature Haemanthus, H. humilis, but were received by Doug Westfall as Haemanthus carneus. Photos by Doug Westfall.
Haemanthus sp. Haemanthus sp. Haemanthus sp.
Leaves of this species were seen by Roy Herold in the hills above Muizenburg, south of Cape Town, in October 2002. Plant identity not confirmed but we suspect it is Haemanthus sanguineus.
Haemanthus leaves of unidentified sp.


Haemanthus tristis is a rare species known only from a population in the southeast Tanqua Karoo where it grows in shaley soil in seasonal washes. It flowers in March and is in leaf from April to October. It has two recurved leaves that appear after the inflorescence and white flowers that look cream when young and fade to pink.
Haemanthus tristis


Haemanthus unifoliatus, found in Cape Province, Namaqualand. It is a solitary bulb and produces a solitary, stiff leaf (just as does H. nortieri). The light scarlet flower is striking, appearing well before the leaf. Photo by Doug Westfall. Kosies form, leaf photo by Jacob Knecht.
Haemanthus unifoliatus, Doug Westfall Haemanthus unifoliatus, Jacob Knecht


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