Veltheimia bracteata 'Rosalba'

I thought this would struggle outside in the polytunnel over winter but it’s done remarkably well. The flowers stalled a bit in Jan/Feb but it now has two fully open blooms. First time it’s flowered too. I’ve put them in a shady spot now in the garden for summer. I have one other variety which finished flowering recently, pure lemon yellow #forestlily #veltheimia #veltheimia-bracteata #veltheimiabracteatarosalba

Ooh, that's really pretty! Lovely delicate shading 😍

AMAZING ⭐️

That's lovely Rich

Very pretty 😍

Wow 🤩💛

That’s lovely🤗

Thank you everyone 🙂 @tash74 @Sesiltamen @jaynehynesburton @sherrisgarden @juliesgarden @godfreye

Very welcome 😀

Hi Rich. I found an article on these in a book I’ve had for ages so I did a GTags search and your posts came up! I’m really keen to have a go at growing them so how easy are they and, more importantly, where can I buy them? Any advice you can give me would be much appreciated 😘😘

Ooo yes! The forest lilies are lovely. I got a couple of bulbs from a specialist bulb nursery that I use regularly - https://www.rvroger.co.uk/index.php?linksource=stockgroup&webpage=veltheimia&listgroupfile=bulbs&parentpagefile=latesummerbulbs&season=BLSU&caller=Header - Veltheimia is a winter grower and goes dormant over summer so it won’t be available till late summer to buy but you can preorder them. I’ve start watering in autumn, polytunnel over winter, out again in spring @jacaranda

@jacaranda and then stop watering around may after flowering. However, they are unfortunately prone to a leaf mosaic virus which can be spread by aphids (it’s got that type of leaf that aphids love) and it suffered last year and this year looks worse. Thinking of discarding and buying a new one. Can grow as house plants too, but not sure if they stay evergreen indoors 🤔

Morning 👋🏼 - apart from yesterdays egg mystery, there is lots of other egg-citing things happening in the polytunnel (see what I did there??) ...... *tumbleweed*..... I’ll get my coat 😒 🤣 🐔 #forestlily #veltheimia #veltheimia-bracteata #veltheimiabracteatarosalba

Two flower spikes this winter! And the bulb is getting quite juicy large now. First year I’ve left them outside, frost protected. I think they are hardier than they appear

How eggrousing 🤣🐔🐔🐔

Please keep us posted when they all flower please 👌

Oh that’s egg..cellent 🥴😂😂

It’s still there in the polytunnel, so no one has come to claim their egg yet 🥚🤭😂😂 @sharonhayden @juliesgarden

Thank you both 🙏🏼 will keep you posted 😊 @cyndi @suerichards

😂

Also - one of my Forest Lily plants is beginning to flower 😄. Veltheimia is a winter flowering bulb, and so far for me it has proven to be evergreen as it has been in green foliage for over a year now with no signs of dying back now. Not sure if I should have forced dormancy during the summer but too late now anyway! This is the first flower I’ve had on ‘Rosalba’ and it has rosè tubular florets with lemon yellow tips 👌🏼 - just waiting for my other ‘Lemon Flame’ cultivar to do the same now 😁

#veltheimia #veltheimia-bracteata #veltheimiabracteatarosalba #forestlily

Keep us posted @richard.spicer.7906 it looks amazing 👏👏

Thanks Sue 😊 will post as the flower opens more. I’m so pleased with it as only has a single bulb and it already has two offsets now, the foliage has really opened out quite a bit - might be too big for the windowsill this winter 😂

Same as the other #veltheimia but different cultivar 'Rosalba' - again, I've planted the bulb with its neck exposed slightly. Both these pots are on my windowsill in a sunny position, and indoors. #veltheimia-bracteata #veltheimiabracteatarosalba #forestlily