Brunsvigia striata

Brunsvigia striata

Brunsvigia striata is also called Brunsvigia minor, and it is the smallest of the Brunsvigias.  The flowering umbel is not that small, however, in this picture it measured about 6" (10cm) across.  The bulb, however, is not that large.  I had to dig down deeply in the pot to feel the size of the bulb, and I estimated it at about 1.5" (4cm) in diameter.  It had pulled itself deep into the pot, being about 3" (7cm) deep in a two gallon pot.  The individual florets are a beautiful light pink, with creamy stripes down each petal.  This lovely little Brunsvigia is so rewarding to grow, since it will flower in a small pot and matures in just three to five years.  Many Brunsvigias test your patience, needing at least fifteen years to maturity and needing a lot of root room, but this is one that anyone can manage.  Good drainage, as with all South African Amaryllids, is necessary, and it is important to water your bulbs during their dormancy.  Not much, I water my Amaryllids about once a month during summer.  Without that, the permanent roots can dry out completely, and you don't want that, but you do want a very fast draining mix so that the bulbs don't stay permanently moist and rot.

www.telosrarebulbs.com