Leopard Lily Lachenalia glaucina
Other Common Name(s):
Other plants called Leopard Lily:
Previously known as:
- Lachenalia lilacina
- Lachenalia orchioides subsp. glaucina
- Lachenalia orchioides var. glaucina
- Phonetic Spelling
- lak-en-AH-ee-uh glaw-SEE-nuh
- Description
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Wild Hyacinth is a bulbous, perennial plant in the hyacinth family (Lachenalia glaucina) native to the southwest Cape Provinces of South Africa. It is found in the winter-rainfall parts of South Africa and Namibia on flats or stony slopes in rocky soils. The genus is named after Werner de Lachenal, a professor of Botany in Basel, Switzerland. The species name refers to the plant's orchid-like scent.
Wild Hyacinth grows from a single white fleshy bulb, 1/4 to 3/4 of an inch in diameter with fine white adventitious roots. It is very easy to grow in a pot with sandy loam soil in full sun to light shade. In summer, keep the bulbs dry and cool, stored in paper bags or in their pots. The plants should be repotted every 2 to 3 years with fresh medium.
Strap-like green or speckled leaves appear in autumn, before the stalk of showy, fragrant clusters of purplish-blue flowers appear in September to November. The leaves wither in late spring to early summer.
Use in pots as a house plant in areas where temperatures drop below freezing. Otherwise, use in a border of a winter garden.
Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems: Snails, caterpillars, and mealy bugs can be a problem. A rust fungus appears as orange blotches on the leaves, often developing where a leaf has been damaged. This is treatable with common fungicides.
- See this plant in the following landscape :
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Lachenalia
- Species:
- glaucina
- Family:
- c
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Leaf Cutting
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- South Africa
- Distribution:
- Cape Provinces
- Bulb Storage:
- cool and dry in the summer for planting in fall
- Dimensions:
- Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 0 ft. 9 in. - 1 ft. 6 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Bulb
- Perennial
- Habit/Form:
- Ascending
- Clumping
- Erect
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Sand
- Shallow Rocky
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Black
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Winter
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Description:
- The fruit are small capsules that ripen a month or two after flowering to release small shiny black seeds.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Blue
- Purple/Lavender
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Raceme
- Spike
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Fall
- Flower Shape:
- Tubular
- Flower Petals:
- Tepals
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Sessile, turquoise, fragrant cylindrical flowers. The outer tepals are light blue to purplish blue and the inner tepals white to shades of blue. Flowers between September and November.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Two strap-like leaves up to 6 inches long. On some plants these leaves are covered in dark blotches, otherwise they are green. The leaves start to emerge a few weeks after the first rains in autumn and wither naturally in late spring/early summer.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- Stout stems are smooth and green but sometimes speckled.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Container
- Small Space
- Landscape Theme:
- Cutting Garden
- Winter Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
