Cyrtanthus elatus

RHS Plant Profile

Scarborough lily

RHS

Other common names

berglelie, George lily, Knysna lily

Synonyms

Cyrtanthus purpureus
Vallota speciosa
Amaryllis purpurea
Cyrtanthus speciosus

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A deciduous bulbous perennial, to 60cm in height, with strap-shaped basal leaves and stout, erect stems bearing up to nine funnel-shaped, scarlet flowers, each to 10cm in length

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Chalk, Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.5-1 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 2–5 years
Max Spread: 0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height: 0.5-1 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Loam Sand

Moisture: Well–drained
pH: Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun

Aspect: South–facing or West–facing
Exposure: Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20): H2

Colour & Scent

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Amaryllidaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Tufted
Genus: Cyrtanthus are bulbous perennials forming a clump of strap-shaped leaves with erect stems each bearing an umbel of large tubular or funnel-shaped flowers
Name Status: Correct
Plant Range: South Africa (Cape)

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow outdoors in humus-rich, well-drained soil in warm frost-free areas; plant bulbs at twice their depth. Grow under glass in peat-free, loam-based potting compost with added leafmould and sand in bright filtered light but not direct sun; plant with the neck of bulb at soil level

Propagation

Propagate by seed or remove offsets in spring

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Patio and container plants
Sub-tropical
Wall side borders

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

Generally disease-free