What is my Haemanthus albaflos doing?

This plant has been on monthly water since about October. It has never had more than 2 leaves, and the bulb seems bigger.

Here is a closeup of the bulb, with more shoots showing.

Another shot from the side. This plant seems to be going wild, on monthly water. Thoughts, relaties?

Your plant looks great! I have mine in s/h so it always has some water. It did bloom about a month ago. My leaves are still small for some reason.

Well, I am wondering if it offsetting a new bulb, or growing a second bulb, it just seems odd. I was wondering if there was something going on after a weird bloom in the fall.

Analog, I grow these both in pots and in the ground and have found them to be very easy to care for. They prefer full to part shade, flower in the fall, and grow in the winter. Your plant is probably offsetting and will, over time, fill the pot. They seem to like being crowded. You may want to give it a bit of fertilizer now.

Here's a helpful link: http://www.gardens.co.nz/Articles.cfm?NLID=134

Interesting, I thought that this was a summer growing plant, or it was until this winter.

Analog, I could be wrong about the growing season. My plants are just now showing new growth and have been pretty stagnant all summer. This lead me to believe they are winter growers, but it may just be the climate influences here. The plants I grow in the ground are in regular garden soil and I rarely watered over the summer.

Mine seems to be active now, too and didn't do anything all summer. It did bloom about a month ago.

H. albiflos is said to be a fall-winter blooming plant, and that is how I have grown it, other Haemanthus are said to be more Winter growers, but I think I will stay away. Bright sun does not describe the Seattle winter. So most winter growers don't do well around here, I am learning.

Analog, for what it's worth, I have three H. albiflos growing in full shade (part sun in summer). In fact, they have been completely overgrown by a geranium as you can see in the photo. I noticed the leaves tend to be a lot wider on plants grown in full shade. These leaves are about 5" wide. I think they only thing they cannot take is freezing temps.

Here's a better picture showing the wider leaves. Next photo is of a plant grown in part sun. It's a lot older.

Part sun.

They look great zone 10. Nice to be able to grow outside all year long!

I think I am just being a Haemanthus newbie. Thanks all for your reassurance.

I got my H. Albiflos in the summer and it didn't do anything until the weather cooled and now each bulb has 2 new leaves and a couple have flowers. I love them!

Great looking plant, Nancy

I agree, nice plant Nancy. I like the yellow pot! Here's a picture of a cluster growing at the SD Zoo. They are in full shade and seem to do very well.

Now that is a group of nice plants!

Thanks Sally and z10. Actually the pot is lime green and it does look good with the leaves. I keep mine in full shade too--especially here in sunny AZ!