Boophane Species

Per Hendrik van Zijl, owner of Van Zijl Guesthouses, Nieuwoudtville Cape:
Nieuwoudtville. Bulb Capital. Dried seed head photos tak...Read Moreen today 12/02/2016 of Boophone haemanthoides in habitat and in seed.
This bulb is an amaryllid and produces fleshy seeds which will not survive if we do not have rain within the next two months.
No rain and tragically all seeds will desiccate. Survival is tough. The seeds hand held will now immediately begin to produce a root and leaf. Such is the desire for propagation of the specie.

The inflorescence will now rapidly dry, snap of and cartwheel across the veld distributing seeds.
It never ceases to amaze me how these bulbs flower and produce seed at the height of summer.
Later in the year after the winter rains have fallen I will post photos of the bulbs in leaf."

On 7/3/2017 Per Hendrik van Zijl, owner of Van Zijl Guesthouses, Nieuwoudtville Cape:Nieuwoudtville. Bulb Capital of the world, added:
Nieuwoudtville. Bulb Capital of the World.
Something about the life cycle of Boophone Haemanthoides (Kwaslelie / Gifbol).
This bulb is indigenous to Nieuwoudtville and grows in the red dolerite soils up against the klipkoppies.
Always first to appear every year. From the first of January onwards, at the height of summer. A very dry landscape, but the bulb never disappoints and appears every year. You can set your clock by it.
This collage is of the flowers of the bulbs as they appear in summer and the leaves that appear after the first rain.
For enthusiasts of Amaryllidaceae these habitat photos will give a very clear indication on how this bulb should be grown. Almost on top of the ground. Never strip the scales away. On account of the dried scales, we have established that some of these bulbs are well over 50 years old. Hence they should be left to grow where they occur. They can, however, be grown very easily from seed.
The photos of the bulbs in leaf were taken yesterday, 2 July 2017. The leaves are typically fan-shaped, something very particular to his bulb.
Why do I persistently place photos of plants, flowers and their habitat? Nieuwoudtville has a unique flora now recognised world-wide. Many visitors arrive seeking specific plants and flowers and with a posting of flowers etc., we hope, in their planning for a visit, it will give them some inkling of what can be seen at different times of the year.
When visiting Nieuwoudtville, please stop off at my restaurant, Die Smidswinkel in Neethling street, or phone me. On arrival we will provide you with a map of the Bokkeveld plateau and indicate what could or should be seen on a specific day.
http://www.nieuwoudtville.co.za
Hendrik van Zijl