Nerines and amarines and how to grow them

Nerines are South African bulbs whose flowers sparkle in the dull days of autumn, when their pinks, reds and whites are a startling and restorative sight.

Amarines are hybrids of nerines and Amaryllis belladonna, and have larger flowers and greener leaves that nerines. Read our advice on growing amaryllis.

Kitty de Jong owns a wholesale production nursery and breeding centre in the Netherlands, specialising in nerines and amarines. Breeding nerines takes patience. Thousands of seeds are sown and the plants are grown for three to four years before a flower is formed. Producing enough bulbs to sell to gardeners is equally laborious. As a grower, Kitty is fascinated by the botany of the plant.

"If you cut a bulb of Nerine bowedenii in half you can see two or even three embryonic flower buds," she says. These develop sequentially, starting with the largest bud, over the forthcoming years. "I think this is the only bulbous plant that has this. It means there are several years' flowers inside a single bulb. This adds to the magic."

Here Kitty shares her advice on growing nerines and amarines.

More on bulbs

• When to plant bulbs
• The best bulb suppliers: where to buy bulbs
• The best trees for autumn colour
• How to grow colchicums

How to plant nerines and amarines

Where to plant nerines

Nerines and amarines love pots and, if you live in a cold and wet region, this is the best way to grow them.

Nerine bowdenii and amarines are hardy in a sunny spot in the garden, in well-drained soil. To flower well the bulbs need to be baked during the summer, so avoid planting them where they will be overshadowed by other plants.

Nerine sarniensis and Nerine undulata are not fully hardy, and are best grown in a greenhouse.

When to plant nerine bulbs

Plant nerine bulbs in summer – this is when you will find them on sale at the garden centre. You can also buy potted bulbs in the autumn.

How to plant nerine bulbs

In pots, use a loam-based compost with about 20 per cent horticultural grit mixed in, and plant the bulbs with their noses peeking above the surface of the soil. Water lots when the plant starts into growth Bulbs flower best crowded tightly together, so don’t be too eager to split the bulbs – once every four or five years is sufficient. Keep dry the bulbs have finished flowering and store away from frosts.

In the ground, plant the bulbs just below the surface of the soil in large clumps, 10cm apart.

Caring for nerines

In cold areas, mulch nerines after they have finished flowering to give extra protection during wet and cold winters.

During the first year after planting, nerines can be shy to flower. Be patient: as soon as they have settled in they should produce lots of flowers. The bulbs hate being disturbed, so once you have planted them avoid moving the bulbs until they are so congested that they stop flowering. Bulbs in pots will benefit from having their compost refreshed every summer, when they are dormant. If the bulbs haven't flowered after two years, they may have been planted too deeply.

How to grow amarines

Amarines can be grown in the same way as nerines – grow them in a sunny, sheltered and well drained spot, or in a pot. When planting the bulbs, make sure that the tips are above the soil.

Recommended nerines and amarines

x Amarine tubergenii ‘Aphrodite’ (Belladiva Series)

Each of the amarine stems can produce up to ten rose-pink flowers between August and October. The foliage is semi-evergreen and able to withstand up to -5°C of frost.

50cm. RHS H4, USDA 8b-9a.

Nerine bowdenii ‘Vesta K’

A popular cultivar in the cut flower industry, the nerine's flowers are a soft-pink colour with slightly twisting petals. The flowers are about 20cm wide.

60cm. RHS H5, USDA 7b-8a.

Buy Nerine bowdenii ‘Vesta K’ from Hoyland Plant Centre

Nerine bowdenii ‘Athena’

There are several nerine cultivars with white flowers but for Kitty this one is by far the best. It is a vigorous plant that reaches its peak in October, and the flowers are a sparkling, clean shade of white.

50cm. RHS H5, USDA 7b-8a.

Nerine ‘Helena’

A floriferous and long-flowering hybrid that will be available to buy in the near future. The salmon-pink flowers are much larger than the species and have a silvery sheen. Kitty considers this to be one of the most beautiful of the nerines she grows.

50cm. RHS H5, USDA 7b-8a.

Buy Nerine ‘Helena’ from Cotswold Garden Flowers

Nerine masoniorum

A pretty autumn-flowering bulb that thrives in free-draining soil in full sun. Produces spider-like flowers with wavy edges held atop strong stems. From South Africa.

30cm. AGM. RHS H2.

Nerine ‘Zeal Giant’

The quality of hardiness in nerines depends on winter dormancy and leafing from spring to autumn (rather than over winter). These characteristics are evident in Nerine bowdenii but whatever cultivar you grow, its flowers are samey.

The late Terry Jones crossed Nerine bowdenii with the enriched colours of the winter-leafing and tender Nerine sarniensis, aiming for richer colours and hardiness. He famously selected this hardy hybrid, which has huge flowers on long stems.

Height 75cm x 15cm from a single bulb but clumps up. AGM. Origins A hybrid of South African species. Conditions Plant them anywhere (in sun) where they will not be crowded. Season October to November.

Buy Nerine ‘Zeal Giant’ from Avon Bulbs

Where to buy and see nerines and amarines

Kitty de Yong's nursery, Agro Fleur Select is not open to the public but more information can be found at agrofleurselect.nl. Suppliers include Hayloft, Hoyland Plant Centre, Jacques Amand and Crocus.