I just returned from a trip to Crescent City, Calif. At the beach, I was delighted to see some of my favorite flowers, “naked ladies,” blooming everywhere. When I graduated from college, I lived in a tiny house in Torrance, Calif.
Surrounding the house and all along its fence were plants I found unusual, but lovely. These plants had lovely pink flowers shaped like Easter lilies, with burgundy stems, but no leaves.
Since I had just finished studying all kinds of plants at Poly, I was surprised I hadn’t come across these unique plants before. They are Amaryllis belladonna, also known as the Belladonna lily, a relative of daffodils. These perennial bulbs produce 6 to 12 fragrant pink flowers per stem from late summer to early fall, once the spring leaves have died back.
The leaves are lance-like and can reach 12 to 20 inches in length. Just as with daffodils, the leaves must stay on the plant until they brown out on their own. Then they will produce the nutrients necessary for the bulbs to produce flowers. When in leaf, the plants need some water. However, after the flowers emerge, these drought-tolerant bulbs require very little water. Too much water will rot the bulbs.
Naked ladies thrive in a Mediterranean-type climate in USDA Zones 8 (10º F to 20º F) and above according to North Carolina State University. However, another source said they will only tolerate down to 35º F. In much of Northern Nevada, we are Zone 6a (-10º F to -5º F) to Zone 7a (0º F to 5º F).
Here it’s best if we dig the bulbs up and store them in a cool dry location over winter. They need to be dormant for 8 to 12 weeks. I’m planning to plant some pots and then bring the entire container in for winter. After their dormant period, I will put the pots near a sunny window and start watering again. I should get blooms in 4 to 6 weeks. It’s worth a try, because they are not only beautiful but also deer and rabbit resistant.
“Plant bulbs in the ground or pots in fall with the top of the bulb just above the soil line and 6 to 12 inches apart or 1 to 2 bulbs per square foot. These drought-tolerant plants will grow 2 to 3 feet tall and wide and prefer well-drained soils in full sun.”
With proper care, these beautiful bulbs can bloom 20 years and more
— JoAnne Skelly is an Associate Professor and Extension Educator, Emerita, University of Nevada Cooperative Extension. She can be reached at skellyj@unr.edu.
