Blood Lily Alba Floss

Handsome foliage and extraordinary flowers that will stop you in your tracks.

Haemanthus ‘Albiflos’ has dashing flowers in a striking, paintbrush like arrangement of white and gold. The flowers open late autumn to winter on 20-30cmstems.Each flower is 3-7cm across.

This is a specially bred, Australian, hand pollinated cross from South African bulb doyen, Martin Farrugia.

When the 'petals' or bracts open, the visual effect is like a wine goblet, or tulip shape. This is a reason for one of their common names, the 'Cape Tulip'. The white petals, or bracts encase hundreds of stamen. Each white stamen has a golden pollen sack at its tip. Massed together the stamen resemble a soft brush which gives rise to another of their common names the 'White Paintbrush Lily' or 'Shaving Brush Plant'.

The scientific name, Haemanthus comes from the Greek haima for blood and athos for flower. At one time it was believed that consuming this plant would stop bleeding. Which lays the foundation yet another of its common names; 'Blood Lily'. We don’t recommend using this plant for the above reason as it is poisonous and will only give you a stomach upset if you eat it.

Grow Blood Lilies in pots or the garden. They like a bright light or dappled shade position in a well drained soil. Basically anywhere the common Clivia grows, these guys will flourish. This is an evergreen to semi evergreen bulb.

If planted in pots, Haemanthus are happy to stay there until they are completely overcrowded. They are more than comfortable in a pot-bound state.

Supplied as: BARE ROOTED