Nerine “Virgo” – Guernsey Lily
Pure white flowers, with wavy edged petals and cream anthers on white stamens.
Habit:
Bulbous member of the Amaryllis family (Amaryllidaceae) with a flower stem that rises about 30cm above strap-like leaves. It flowers in autumn, with the flower arising either before or with the leaves. There are about 20 different species of Nerine, with flower colour ranging from white through pink to crimson. N. “Virgo” is almost certainly a hybrid of Nerine bowdenii, giving it the hardiness to survive overwinter in Karin’s Garden, and N. sarniensis.
There is also a white species Nerine. Click here for a eulogy on the delights of Nerine undulata “Alba”.
Origins:
Nerines come from South Africa. Though the flowers are lily-like on form, despite the English name these plants are neither lilies nor from Guernsey. It is said that a ship carrying boxes of the bulbs of this species destined for the Netherlands was shipwrecked on Guernsey; with the bulbs washing up on the island, becoming established and multiplying around the coast. Whatever the truth of this, Sarna is the traditional latin name for Guernsey, with Sarniensis translating as “from Guernsey”; and N. sarniensis is the national flower of Guernsey.
Soil / Aspect:
Nerines require reasonable drainage and are often found in rocky and even arid areas in the wild. However, such wild populations also receive summer rainfall. So in Karin’s Garden this is a bulb that will appreciate watering during summer dry spells. They can tolerate some shade, but to flower at their best they really prefer full sun, like their Amaryllis cousins.
Maintenance:
This plant suffers from no discernible pests or diseases. Once established this is really a very rewarding plant. Just do not let it become swamped by neighbouring herbaceous perennials. It will produce bulb offsets in a few years; though plants take a long time to become congested, at which point they will have to be lifted and teased apart before replanting about a fists-width apart.