Ammocharis coranica

Member of a small genus of summer-growing amaryllids from Southern and East Africa of which this is the only South African member. In common with crinums, individual leaves die back in the autumn and grow out again the next year. This results in leaf tips which are dead and truncated. It takes a very long time to develop a large flowering-size bulb, but then it can flower every year in an English greenhouse as does this plant grown by Jean Ellis and the late Bob Read before her. Plants seem to be very thirsty when in leaf and soon wilt if they are allowed to become too dry.