Scadoxus is a genus in the Amaryllidaceae family. The 9 species are found in tropical Africa. Three are found in the well watered areas of the summer rainfall area of South Africa and two are found in the Cape. This genus was long regarded as a subgenus of Haemanthus, but because there are differences in the number of chromosomes, the foliage, and the rootstock, it is now treated as a distinct genus. The rootstock is predominately an elongated rhizome, sometime with a bulbous part above. Leaves are dry or green at flowering. Many have a sheath that forms a false stem. Most species favor semi-shade and can be grown from seed without a lot of trouble.
Scadoxus cinnabarinus is primarily found in the rain forests of Cameroons. It must have rather warm and humid growing conditions with the temperature never dropping below 45F (7C). At the same time, it is very sensitive to bright sun which will burn the leaves. Doug Westfall: It is one of the "most rare" of the Scadoxus and I feel "privileged" to own this one.
Scadoxus cyrtanthiflorus is distributed in Central Africa in Uganada and the Belgian Congo where it is found at 2300 to 2700 meters. This species grows from a rhizome that produces a deciduous ovoid bulb. New growth and the flowering scape emerge by splitting through the pseudostem. The umbel has 20 to 30 bright red pendulous flowers, about 5 cm long. Photos by Jonathan Hutchinson.
The next four photos of Scadoxus cyrtanthiflorus were taken in habitat, on the Ruwenzori Mountains in Western Uganda, January 2006, courtesy of Rachel Saunders.
Scadoxus membranaceus is the smallest of the known Scadoxus. It is native to the southeastern Cape, RSA, where it is found in coastal sand. It always catches the eye, but is not widely grown. They do well in filtered shade and often do not go into dormancy. Give the medium constant moisture but not soaking wet. Seeds should be sown immediately after cleaning them from the red flesh. The seeds will sprout and form a bulb immediately. This little first year bulb will not sprout leaves until the next growing season. Keep the bulbs moist until they break dormancy. John Ingram was able to flower this species in southern California in 3 years from seeds. The first photo is of a plant growing in the So. Calif garden of Doug Westfall. The second and third photos from Cameron McMaster show the flowers and fruit. The final two photos were taken by Mary Sue Ittner.
Scadoxus multiflorus is a species of southern tropical East Africa and Swaziland. There are three subspecies, but most people grow only the two described below.
Scadoxus multiflorus ssp. katherinae is a robust plant that grows in coastal and swamp forest in the Eastern Cape. It has deep pinkish red flowers and is one of the most common and easily grown Scadoxus. This subspecies has a very short to no dormancy in cultivation and prefers some shade. It multiplies rather rapidly by rhizomes which separate easily from the parent bulb. It flowers with the leaves in January (after mid summer). The first photo was taken by Doug Westfall and the second by Sheila Burrow. The final pictures were taken by Mary Sue Ittner .
Scadoxus multiflorus ssp. multiflorus is a small plant that grows in dry to very dry Savannah areas in sun. It is deciduous and always solitary. In these areas it flowers with no leaves, early in December (before mid summer.) In mountain and wetter habitats it can be more robust and flower with the leaves and with a short dormancy. This photo by Doug Westfall is of a dwarf form that goes completely dormant.
Scadoxus nutans Is native to SW Ethiopia. It is mainly epiphytic and enjoys plenty of moisture during growth. It tends to produce a lot of stoloniferous shoots when happy. In habitat, this species flowers from November to February, which is a relatively dry season. The species blooms in a rather unique manner. It splits the pseudostem near the base and sends out the short flower stem and scape. That is the same way that the new pseudostem appears by splitting the old one and sending out the new. Growing this species from seed is rather tricky. As soon as seeds are ripe, the outer red covering must be taken off, along with the clear membrane that tend to linger. Plant these right away otherwise roots will start sprouting and be bound within this membrane. Unlike S. pole-evansii, this species does not produce a pronounced bulb. The meristemic structure will rest for about 4 months before sprouting leaf. Photos 1-2 by Doug Westfall. Photo 3 by Nhu Nguyen shows the seeds and membrane. Keep the medium moist during this period. It takes about 4 years to flower from seeds.
Scadoxus pole-evansii is endemic to the Pungwe gorge, Nyanga district, in eastern Zimbabwe, where it grows in moist evergreen forests. Plants can grow up to 130 cm tall, and flowers are produced just before or simultaneously with the new leaves, which usually emerge during early to mid summer. In their native habitat flowering occurs at the height of the rainy season in mid February. The showy umbels can have 50 to 70, dark salmon to red flowers, which are up to 4 cm in diameter. These are followed by large red berries which are apparently distributed by Somango monkeys. Plants are rather slow growing in cultivation, but well worth the wait! Seeds sprout in a strange manner where immediately even before going into the ground, the seeds will put all of it's energy into producing a bulb. This bulb may or may not produce roots and will sit dormant for 4 months before sprouting leaves. Plant either seeds or young bulbs right away and keep the medium moist until leaves appear. Photos 1-5 by Pieter van der Walt and photo 6 by Nhu Nguyen showing the seeds/bulbs.
Scadoxus puniceus is found along the coast and in river valleys, in subtropical thicket in the southern to south east Cape to tropical Africa. It goes dormant in the winter. During the summer growing season, it should be kept moist. Plants flower in 4-5 years from seeds. These photos taken in the Eastern Cape by Cameron McMaster show it growing in different habitats.
The first photo shows the attractive emerging leaf shoot in a year when the young plant had yet to bloom. The following year it did bloom and the second photo shows the bud appearing. The last two pictures show a large pot of blooming plants being grown by Rod Saunders and Rachel Saunders and blooming September 2006. Photos by Mary Sue Ittner
The next three photos are from Jonathan Hutchinson
The next two images show seeds and seedlings, Byron Amerson.
Scadoxus puniceus 'Alba' This is a rather rare Scadoxus. I have owned it for about 10 years. This year, I have grown a seedling which is white. Previous seedlings have been the "normal" color. It always attracts attention and gets comments. Photo by Doug Westfall
Scadoxus puniceus 'Natalensis' grown in a 12" pot in Doug Westfall's Southern California garden. Acquired about four years ago as a seedling. 25 inches tall from the soil, flower stalk 1 3/4 in. thick/wide. This is the "normal" color for natalensis; S. p. magnificus is usually lighter in color. The second picture is with another background.
