Cyrtanthus sanguineus

Inanda Lily, Keilelie; isilawu esimhlophe (X) Article by Geoff Nichols

In the wild this species is found along the coastal regions, of the east coast from the eastern Cape northwards to north of our borders, on cliffs that are formed when rivers cut down through the coastal escarpment to form steep sided gorges. The plants are generally only visible to humans when they are in flower. The spectacular bright red or pinky red or reddish orange flowers are large about 60mm diameter across the open trumpet shaped end.
The Inanda lily is a species that flowers for a fairly long period during the summer from about November through to late December on the coast extending into January and even February the higher and further inland you travel from the coast. Thanks to where this species lives it has been able to remain fairly common in the large Durban Metropolitan region. The best populations are now only reachable by abseiling down to the ledges where the plants grow. The habit of the plant is to have its bulbs wedged into a crack where organic matter and soil particles congregate.

click on the photo

The leaves grow out and hang down over the edge of the cliff. Each leaf can be up to about 30cm long. While on the leaves this species seems to be resistant to the Amaryllis caterpillar. My Inanda lilies grow right next door to my Ifafa Lilies and the latter are always being eaten down to the bulb necks yet the Inanda lilies remain untouched. Another reason this bulb endears itself to me.
I prefer to grow my bulbs in shallow pans rather than deep pots. I find on the coast with the wet humid weather that roots will rot if the soil remains too wet for any length of time longer than two or three days. I place a 1:1 mixture of well rotted leaf compost and sharp course river sand in the pans. The mix is loose and well drained. I have even started growing the plants in a very course gravel with no compost and the plants are very happy as long as I apply a liquid fertiliser. I also like to use hoof and horn or even blood meal if I can get it. This I apply in the early spring just as the new roots appear.
Inanda lilies are best and easily grown from seed that is quick to germinate after about 7 days. The young plants if grown optimally will flower after their third season.
Allow plants to become rootbound in a container or pot. The weeds and other pests just cannot get a toe hold in the densely packed container.
In the cooler dry winter months stop watering and fertilizing just allow rain to keep the bulbs ticking over. A very tough and rewarding plant for any bulb collection or verandah.

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