Cyrtanthus belongs to the Amaryllidaceae, the amaryllis family, and is one of Africa’s most captivating perennial bulb genera. It includes 59 accepted species and is especially rich in southern Africa, where it occupies an astonishing range of habitats, from fynbos and rocky mountain slopes to grassland, thicket and even cliff faces. The genus is celebrated for its extraordinary variety: some species are evergreen, others deciduous; some grow in summer-rainfall regions, others in winter-rainfall areas; and the flowers range from slender and tubular to broad and flaring, in shades of white, cream, yellow, pink, orange–red and scarlet. Even the name Cyrtanthus hints at its beauty, coming from Greek words meaning “curved flower.” What makes Cyrtanthus so compelling to growers is that it combines wild South African character with real ornamental drama. Many species are excellent container subjects, some are scented, some have beautifully exposed bulbs or twisted foliage, and a few are famed as “fire lilies,” bursting into flower after veld fires. It is a genus with both elegance and ecological intrigue, which is exactly why it holds such enduring appeal for collectors, bulb enthusiasts and gardeners alike.

Cyrtanthus herrei, synonymously known as Cryptostephanus herrei or Cryptostephanus merenskyanus and commonly known as the Richtersveld Cyrtanthus, is a striking, large, evergreen bulb found growing in the arid Richtersveld region of the Northern Cape province of South Africa and Namibia. The decorative Trees and Shrubs>Evergreen, glaucous foliage is the main attraction, although the umbels of greenish-orange, pendulous flowers in late summer rival any display by any other species. This plant is not often used in cultivation, but it could be used as a container plant or planted in a rockery.