Cape Flower Nerine bowdenii
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- nay-REE-nay bow-DEN-ee-eye
- Description
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Cape Flower is a species of flowering plant in the family Amaryllidaceae. It is a herbaceous bulbous perennial, growing to 2 foot with strap-shaped leaves and large umbels of lily-like pink flowers in the fall when almost nothing else is in bloom. These spidery pink flowers can make quite a statement if planted in a tight clump as a colorful end to the growing season. It is drought tolerant but requires moisture during the growing season. These plants are great for use in beds, cutting gardens, rock gardens, and planted along borders. They can also be grown as container plants or planted near a patio to enjoy the color in the last warm days of fall.
If you plant them in a container, use a rich, well-drained growing medium, and set the bulbs with the neck well above the soil level so only about half the bulb is buried, approximately 8 in deep to the base. Place the bulbs 12 in. apart, one per sq ft. Water freely when the plants have foliage but do not water when the bulbs are dormant. Grows best in full sunlight to PM only sunlight.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Cultivars / Varieties:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Nerine
- Species:
- bowdenii
- Family:
- Amaryllidaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Bulb
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Division
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Eastern Cape Province to KwaZulu-Natal
- Dimensions:
- Height: 1 ft. 2 in. - 1 ft. 8 in.
- Width: 0 ft. 1 in. - 0 ft. 3 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Bulb
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Perennial
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- 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:
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Available Space To Plant:
- Less than 12 inches
- 12 inches-3 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Pink
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Umbel
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Good Cut
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Fall
- Flower Shape:
- Trumpet
- Flower Petals:
- 6 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- Large umbrels of 5-10 trumpet-shaped pink flowers up to 3 inches across. Blooms in the fall from September to November.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Fleshy
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Rosulate
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Linear
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- It has 6–8 arching, light green, strap-shaped leaves, produced in two opposite rows.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- Sturdy erect green stems, make for excellent cut flowers as they remain upright in containers.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Coastal
- Container
- Landscape Theme:
- Cottage Garden
- Cutting Garden
- Rock Garden
- Design Feature:
- Accent
- Border
- Mass Planting
- Small groups
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Drought
- Rabbits
