Nerine

( ner - RYE - nee )

At-A-Glance Information

This genus of flowering perennials grow from bulbs and need partial shade in the warmest climates and regular water during growth and blooming periods. They are native to South Africa and are relatives of the Spider Lily (Lycoris). Common names for these plants include Nerines, Guernsey Lily, Jersey Lily, and Spider Lily. Leaves are strappy and die back before blooms appear, and will reappear later in the year. Flowers have six spreading, recurved segments and are borne in clusters at stem tips. Use these plants massed together in beds and borders, as specimens, or in container plantings. Take care when planting these beautiful flowers in your garden, as ingesting plant parts can cause reactions in humans and pets.

Nerine Species and Varietals

The genus Nerine is a member of the plant family Amaryllidaceae and includes 24 species. They are closely related to plants in the Amaryllis and Lycoris genera. Nerine grows best in zones 5, 6, 8, 9 and 13-24. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.

Nerine bowdenii (Cornish Lily, Cape Flower, Guernsey Lily, Bowden Lily)
This species has lightly scented flowers in soft pink marked with deep pink and form in large clusters at stem tips. Varieties are available in deeper pink, crimson and red. These plants are native to South Africa. The species is named for Athelstan Cornish-Bowden who first sent bulbs back to England from South Africa.

Nerine filifolia (Thread Leaf Sea Nymph Lily)
This is an evergreen species that produces grassy leaves and rose to red flowers with narrow, crinkled segments. The flowers are carried in clusters of 8-10 at stem tips that reach 1 foot tall when plants are in bloom. Leaves are green.

Nerine humilis (Dwarf Nerine)
These flowers reach just 16 inches tall when in bloom, and produces narrow green foliage simultaneously with blooms. Flowers are shades of pink and bloom in autumn. They form large colonies, and also respond well to frequent fires that occur in their native range.

Nerine krigei (Corkscrew Nerine, Curly Leaved Nerine)
These plants are native to South Africa, and produce tall flowering stems topped with clusters of blood red to dark magenta-pink flowers. Individual plants reach up to between 12 and 24 inches tall when mature and in bloom.

Nerine masoniorum (Mason's Nerine)
This species of Nerine is evergreen and similar to Nerine filifolia, bearing flowers in clusters of up to 12 blooms on a single stem reaching 9 inches tall. Petals are beautifully wavy on their edges, and flowers bloom in summertime in the plant's native range. This species is considered critically endangered, and is native to South America.

Nerine sarniensis (Guernsey Lily, Raquel)
This species forms large clusters of crimson blooms with proment stamens. Stems are up to 2 feet tall and flowers come in pink, orange, white and scarlet. Variety Nerine sarniensis curvifolia fothergillii has scarlet flowers that shimmer with gold tones.

Nerine undulata (Nerine crispa) (Wavy Nerine, Crape Flower)
These flowers are native to the eastern Cape area of South Africa, and produce flowering stems up to 18 inches tall. Flowers are crinkled and pale pink to mid-pink and bloom in fall in the plant's native range. Leaves are grass-like and almost evergreen.

Caring for Nerine

Plant Nerine flowers in a space in the garden that receives full sun; ideally, they should be getting between 6 and 8 hours of sun each day for best blooms. They do well towards the back of mixed beds or in containers, and are fantastic for adding fall interest to the landscape. They are best planted via bulbs in springtime, and enjoy well-draining poor soil. If local soils do not drain well, make sure to amend the planting area with plenty of organic compost before installing these bulbs. Place bulbs 3 to 5 inches apart just below the surface, so that the neck of the bulb pokes up above the soil. If these bulbs are planted too deeply, they will not flower. Mulch around the planting area after installing to suppress weed growth, maintain consistent soil temperatures, and increase soil moisture retention.

Water newly planted Nerine regularly as the bulbs send out roots. At maturity, these flowers need water regularly; as a general rule of thumb, water once a week during the active growing seasons. Withhold summer waterings while these plants are in their dormant stage, but if they still have leaves, continue providing water. If the ground cannot be kept dry during dormancy, plant these bulbs in containers or dig them up each year. Deadhead spent flowering stems as they fade, and remove foliage to the ground after it has naturally faded (died and turned yellow and then brown). These flowers will form large clumps over time, and will need to be divided every once in a while to encourage the best blooms. For instructions on how to divide Nerine Lilies, see the Propagation section below.

Propagation

Nerine can be propagated either by division or from seed. To ensure that your propagated plant will have the exact same qualities and characteristics as the parent plant, use the division method. If you would like to experiment and see what plant you can grow from seed, just keep in mind that it will not necessarily be the same as the parent plant, and that these flowers grown from seed take a few years (between 3 and 5) to begin flowering. To propagate your Nerines, follow the instructions below:

Propagating Nerine by Seed

Keep in mind that the plant you get from seed will not necessarily mimic all of the characteristics of the parent plant. To propagate by seed, you will need a paper bag, a pot or tray filled with well-draining compost or other organic material, a spray bottle and a fork. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand. You will also, after a few weeks, need individual 3-inch pots for each seedling that grows.
Harvest your seeds. The seed heads on plants are pretty easy to spot, they're left behind after flowers have faded. Once they have dried out and begun to split open, you can harvest the seeds inside. Cut them off of the plant, placing them in a paper bag. Harvest as many as you can, and place the paper bag in a dry, cool, dark area. They will continue to split open and release the seeds contained inside. Once they have been released, take them out of the bag and put them in a container so you can work with them.
In either late winter or early springtime, get your container prepared. Water your prepared seed tray or pot filled with soil, and ensure that good drainage is occurring. Place your seeds in your prepared pot or seed tray about a quarter inch to a half-inch under the soil surface. Cover them with soil and water with your spray bottle. Place your tray of seeds in a warm area that receives bright, indirect light. A greenhouse is the most ideal climate, but a planting tray inside a window will do as well. Germination usually takes 2-6 weeks from sowing. Once you begin to see seedlings sprout and they are able to be handled, transplant them to their own individual 3-inch pots, filled with the same potting medium as described in Step 1. Loosen the seedlings from the potting medium by digging down with the tines of your fork about an inch and a half, gently working the seedling up until it is out. Then, replant the seedling in its individual pot.
Keep the seedling's potting medium moist, but not wet, by spraying the soil with your spray bottle. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 65 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring (after the danger of frost has passed), when you can transplant it to its new home.

Propagating Nerine by Division
This type of propagation is relatively simple; you will need a clean shovel, mulch, fresh soil (any kind will do, though it does need to be well-draining), compost and pots (only necessary if you will be saving divided plants for transporting elsewhere). Division is best done in very early spring (after the plant has entered dormancy, but before it has begun its new spring growth), and needs to be done every few years regardless of whether you have the goal of propagating the plants for best performance. To propagate by division, follow these steps:

Using a shovel, dig up your existing plant. Start from the outside and work your way in to avoid damaging the bulb(s). Once you have worked them up out of the ground, lay them out.
Start to tease apart the bulbs with your fingers. Once the roots are untangled, separate your bulbs, organizing them by size.
Prepare your pot(s) or new planting site(s) with amended, well-draining soil. You can either bring in new soil or simply amend your existing soil with compost to complete this task. Then, plant your bulbs and water thoroughly.
Apply a thick layer of mulch over the new planting to protect it from cold weather as it acclimates to its new home. Then, enjoy watching it sprout in the next growing season. Smaller divided bulbs may take a few years before they begin to flower.