Belladonna lily

Sun

Full sun; a warm, sheltered position is especially important in cooler climates.

Water

Water during autumn-to-spring growth if rainfall is insufficient; keep relatively dry during summer dormancy. Avoid persistently wet soil in any season.

Soil

Well-drained sandy or loamy soil; tolerates a range of soil pH. Improve drainage or use a raised bed on heavy clay.

Height

1.5-3 ft (0.45-0.9 m)

Spread

1-2 ft (0.3-0.6 m) per established clump

Flowers

Late summer to early autumn; clusters of fragrant pale to deep pink trumpets, sometimes white, on leafless stems.

Foliage

Long, fleshy, strap-shaped green leaves emerge in autumn, persist through winter and spring, and die back for summer dormancy.

Growth

Slow to moderate; bulbs gradually form clumps and may take several years to flower after planting or disturbance.

Care needed

Low

• Pollinators
• Deer resistant
• Drought tolerant
• Heat tolerant
• Low allergen
• Fragrant

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Moderate

Toughness

Fairly tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   0.5 ft (0.15 m)

2. After 1 year

   1.8 ft (0.55 m)

3. After 2 years

   2.2 ft (0.68 m)

   full size

About 1 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Toxic

Invasive in

Australia

Growth rate

Slow

• Plant dormant bulbs with their necks at soil level in a warm, sunny spot; avoid deep planting.
• Water during active leaf growth in dry weather, but do not routinely irrigate dormant bulbs in summer.
• Apply a light dressing of balanced bulb fertiliser as leaves begin growing if the soil is poor.
• At the colder end of its range, use a sheltered site and dry winter mulch; container growing under frost-free cover is safer in colder districts.
• Leave clumps undisturbed unless overcrowded; divide during summer dormancy and expect flowering to pause afterward.

Pruning. Cut spent flower stems near the base after flowering unless you want seed. Let leaves turn fully yellow before removing them; green leaves replenish the bulb.

Autumn

As leaves emerge, resume watering if the weather is dry and apply a light feed on poor soil.

Winter

Keep drainage clear and protect bulbs from prolonged frost in marginal climates.

Spring

Leave healthy foliage intact and water during extended dry spells.

Early summer

Remove fully yellow leaves and reduce watering as bulbs become dormant.

Summer

Plant dormant bulbs or divide crowded clumps only if necessary; avoid damaging fleshy roots.

Late summer to early autumn

Enjoy the bare-stemmed flowers, then remove faded stems unless saving seed.

• Plant in repeated groups along a sunny border for a late-season display above lower plants.
• Use beside a south-facing wall in the Northern Hemisphere, or a north-facing wall in Australia, to provide warmth and shelter.
• Combine with low, drought-tolerant plants that soften the bare ground during summer dormancy without shading the bulbs.
• Grow in a large, freely draining container where winter protection is needed.

Garden styles it suits: Mediterranean, Dry gravel garden, Cottage garden, Coastal, Romantic rose garden and Sensory garden.

Plant it with: Lavender, Rosemary, Santolina, Rockrose, Creeping thyme and Stonecrop.

Wildlife: Flowers can attract bees and other nectar-feeding insects. It is not a native habitat plant outside its southern African range.

• Bulb rot in wet ground: improve drainage, reduce summer irrigation and discard soft or rotting bulbs.
• Failure to flower after planting or division: allow several growing seasons to settle, provide full sun and avoid further disturbance.
• Poor flowering in shaded or cool sites: move dormant bulbs to a warmer, sunnier position and avoid cutting green leaves.
• Slugs and snails damaging leaves: inspect during damp weather, remove pests and use wildlife-conscious controls where needed.

Toxic to people, cats, dogs and horses if eaten. All parts contain toxic alkaloids, with the bulbs particularly hazardous; ingestion can cause drooling, vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhoea, while larger amounts may cause weakness, tremors or more serious poisoning. Keep bulbs away from children and animals, and seek medical or veterinary advice after ingestion.

Where it spreads. Can escape gardens and form persistent clumps; it is treated as an environmental weed in parts of Western Australia and Victoria. Avoid planting near bushland in affected districts and dispose of unwanted bulbs securely.

• Florist's amaryllis (Hippeastrum spp.)

  Usually sold for indoor winter flowering, with larger flowers in a wider range of colours and a hollow flower stalk; belladonna lily has a solid stalk and normally flowers outdoors in late summer.

• Resurrection lily (Lycoris squamigera)

  Also produces pink flowers on bare late-summer stems, but its leaves emerge in spring rather than autumn and its flowers often have lilac-blue shading at the tips.

• Crinum lily (Crinum spp.)

  Usually has a much larger bulb, broader leaves and foliage present at flowering; many have longer, narrower flower segments.

The species name belladonna means 'beautiful lady' in Italian, while 'naked ladies' refers to the flowers appearing on stems without leaves.

Propagation. Separate offsets during summer dormancy, retaining roots where possible, and replant promptly. Sow fresh seed when ripe; seedlings usually take several years to reach flowering size.

Accepted botanical name

Amaryllis belladonna

In the US and Canada

Introduced in the lower 48 states.

Native range

Cape Provinces.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.