Strumaria unguiculata

Strumaria unguiculata.

Family: Amaryllidaceae.

Common names: Cape snowflake, Tolbol

Plants up to 300 mm high; bulb whitish inside. Leaves 2(3), usually dry at flowering, sub-erect to recurved, elliptic to lanceolate, (15 – )30 – 600 mm wide, abruptly narrowed at the base, light green, thin-textured, the margins sometimes undulate. Flowers 7 – 24, spreading on long pedicels, shallowly cup-shaped, 15 – 20 mm across, glistening white with red midribs, scented of spice.

Sowing instructions: Sow seeds in deep seed trays as soon as possible after harvesting in a very well-drained, sandy medium to which some fine compost is added. Press lightly into the soil, so that the top of the seed remains visible. Water well once and then again only after the first leaves appear. After that, water well once every two to three weeks.

Locality: Botterkloof. Harvest: March 2024