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.

This charming, sweetly scented bulb is long-flowering and easy to cultivate. It belongs to the genus Cyrtanthus which contains many beautiful species. The flowers of Cyrtanthus mackenii are long and narrow with recurveips, and the leaves are narrowly lance-shaped. This species consists of mainly two colour varieties: Cyrtanthus mackenii var. mackenii, which has pure white flowers, and Cyrtanthus mackenii var. cooperi, which has yellow or cream-coloured flowers. However from time to time we are able to offer pink-coloured seeds selectively collected from nursery stock. The flowers are sweetly scented and pollinated by night-flying moths. Adult plants reach about 400 mm high in full flower, and the individual flowers measure up to 50 mm long. C. mackenii has a very long flowering period, depending on the particular form being cultivated, extending from July to February.