Lachenalia is a genus with bulbs in the Hyacinthaceae family found in Namibia and South Africa. There are around 110 species (80 of those are found in the Cape region.) Most of these have a dormancy period and grow new roots each year. Polyxena has been transferred to Lachenalia by J.C. Manning, P. Goldblatt & M.F. Fay in "A revised generic synopsis of Hyacinthaceae in sub-Saharan Africa, including new combinations and the new tribe Pseudoprospereae", Edinburgh Journal of Botany 60(3): 533-568 (2004). Those species continue to be found on the Polyxena wiki page until they are widely accepted as Lachenalias. Information about Lachenalia from Don Journet was provided on the pbs list in three posts in February 2007. The first was a general introduction and discussion about growing the species, the second discussed propagation, and the third covered pests, diseases, general discusssion, and references.


These lachenalias were being used as bedding plants in Nieuwoudtville in September 2006. They could be cultivars or hybrids although the second photo shows plants that resemble Lachenalia aloides. Photos from Bob Rutemoeller and MarySueIttner.
Lachenalia in beds, Bob Rutemoeller Lachenalia aloides cultivars, Mary Sue Ittner Lachenalia sp., Mary Sue Ittner


Find species alphabetically or click on the species name in the table below
Lachenalia ALachenalia B-CLachenalia Species D-ILachenalia J-NLachenalia O-PLachenalia R-TLachenalia U-ZPolyxena


Lachenalia alba Lachenalia algoensis Lachenalia aloides Lachenalia angelica Lachenalia arbuthnotiae
Lachenalia attentuata Lachenalia bachmannii Lachenalia bolusii Lachenalia bulbifera Lachenalia campanulata
Lachenalia capensis Lachenalia carnosa Lachenalia comptonii Lachenalia congesta Lachenalia contaminata
Lachenalia corymbosa Lachenalia doleritica Lachenalia elegans Lachenalia ensifolia Lachenalia fistulosa
Lachenalia framesii Lachenalia gillettii Lachenalia haarlemensis Lachenalia hirta Lachenalia isopetala
Lachenalia juncifolia Lachenalia kliprandensis Lachenalia liliflora Lachenalia longibracteata Lachenalia longituba
Lachenalia mathewsii Lachenalia maughanii Lachenalia mediana Lachenalia mutabilis Lachenalia namaquensis
Lachenalia namibiensis Lachenalia nervosa Lachenalia obscura Lachenalia orchioides Lachenalia orthopetala
Lachenalia pallida Lachenalia paucifolia Lachenalia peersii Lachenalia purpureocaerulea Lachenalia pusilla
Lachenalia pustulata Lachenalia reflexa Lachenalia rosea Lachenalia rubida Lachenalia salteri
Lachenalia sargeantii Lachenalia schelpei Lachenalia splendida Lachenalia thomasiae Lachenalia trichophylla
Lachenalia undulata Lachenalia unicolor Lachenalia unifolia Lachenalia ventricosa Lachenalia violacea
Lachenalia viridiflora Lachenalia youngii Lachenalia zebrina Lachenalia zeyheri

Lachenalia ALachenalia B-CLachenalia Species D-ILachenalia J-NLachenalia O-PLachenalia R-TLachenalia U-ZPolyxena


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