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Monday, 9 March 2009

My Brunsvigia josephinae is flowering!

Yes, I probably need to get out more! But I was very excited to find, on a quick trip back to our farm garden on the weekend, that my Josephine's Lily (Brunsvigia josephinae) had shot up two wondrous flower spikes for the first time.


It is difficult to capture this amazing plant in a photograph. It has similar growth pattern to a Naked Lady (Amaryllis belladonna) in that the flower spikes appear from large, bare bulbs with the foliage appearing well after the flower is gone.

It is a rare bulb, and was given to me by a gardening friend with the instructions to 'guard it with my life'!

It supposedly takes many years before it will reward the grower with blooms, and yet mine has flowered within two years. How special!

The lily was reportedly named after Empress Josephine, Napoleon's first wife, who was a patron of horticulture & established famous gardens at Malmaison in France.

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17 comments:

  1. Willow Grove - Kez9 March 2009 at 09:48

    They are beautiful flowers. I would be nervous is someone gave me a plant and said guard it with you life. Mine would die in my hands. No green thumbs here

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  2. Mary Ann9 March 2009 at 10:00

    This comment has been removed by the author.

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  3. Uluwehi9 March 2009 at 10:03

    What you have here is something quite unusual and also very beautiful. What you have clearly a hybrid between Brunsvigia josephinae and another related species. This would interest a great many bulb enthusiasts to see such an unusual hybrid!

    My guess is that it a Brunsvigia josephinae crossed with an Amaryllis belladonna. Regardless, you have done an excellent job growing these!

    Jacob Knecht
    flickr: Morabeza79

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  4. Mary Ann9 March 2009 at 10:03

    Wow, what a fantastic looking plant! The flowers are gorgeous!!
    We have a tradition here in Denmark that you should never say thank you when someone gives you a plant or cutting! That way, it should never die on you!!! Not sure if it works or not!!! Cheers! Mary Ann

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  5. KaHolly9 March 2009 at 10:07

    Absolutely gorgeous!!! Such a surprise for you to to find.

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  6. Christy 9 March 2009 at 10:26

    Very beautiful flower! You did a wonderful job taking of it!

    I wish I had your green thumb powers too. :)

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  7. Kate/Massachusetts9 March 2009 at 10:42

    What an absolutely stunning flower! I would be very excited, too, if I had one in bloom! I have an amaryllis in bloom that is incredible. We are at the end of winter and everything is snow-covered and grey so a single flower like my amaryllis is a lovely promise of things to come! You are very lucky to have grown such a beauty!

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  8. Chookyblue......9 March 2009 at 10:46

    beautiful........what a treasure.......

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  9. Anonymous9 March 2009 at 11:57

    Oh my gosh! I love that lily! It looks like fireworks! Jeff says that they call them "naked ladies" because they have no leaves! Beautiful, and such a rich color! Whaaaa! I want one!!! xoxom

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  10. Stina Blomgren9 March 2009 at 19:44

    This is a beauty!!!
    Never ever seen anyone like this...and the colour is fantastic...thanks for showing..:o)

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  11. Annie9 March 2009 at 21:17

    What a beautiful bulb. I am enjoying my naked ladies at the moment, and so amazing to come up from the fry dead looking bulb. Your photos capture them beautifully

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  12. Unknown10 March 2009 at 05:08

    Beautiful and so special.

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  13. Kiwifruit-Shiree10 March 2009 at 06:14

    absolutely beautiful! just as we in New Zealand are just heading into autumn, and thinking baout putting our gardens to bed for the winter. ENJOY!

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  14. Jan Gartlan11 March 2009 at 12:59

    That is an amazing plant. What a devine flower colour too. How tall is it roughly? You must be so proud of it.

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  15. Sew Create It - Jane12 March 2009 at 06:30

    Just wanted to let you know I tried your journal cover tutorial and loved how it came together. There are pictures on my blog if you are interested.

    Thanks again for a great pattern.

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  16. Anne Fannie12 March 2009 at 18:38

    I am in awe over this plant! I have never seen one before. In what zones do they grow, do you know?
    ~Ann

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  17. Sheree18 March 2009 at 07:54

    This is a spectacular flower!

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