Haemanthus albiflos (Paint Brush) - World of Succulents (2025)

ScientificName

Haemanthus albiflos Jacq.

Common Name(s)

Paint Brush, White Paint Brush, White Blood Lily, Shaving Brush Plant, Dappled Snowbrush

Synonym(s)

Haemanthus virescens var. albiflos, Leucodesmis albiflos

Scientific Classification

Family: Amaryllidaceae
Subfamily:Amaryllidoideae
Genus:Haemanthus

Etymology

The specific epithet "albiflos" (pronounced AL-bih-flos) means "having white flowers" and refers to the flower color of this species, which is white, since most species in the genus, as the generic name implies, are red.

Origin

Haemanthus albiflos is native to South Africa. It is widespread along the eastern coastal belt from Still Bay in the Western Cape to the Zululand region of KwaZulu-Natal in the north, extending inland as far as Graaff-Reinet and Queenstown in the Eastern Cape.

Description

Haemanthus albiflos is an evergreen bulbous plant with up to three pairs of leaves that can be erect, recurved, or flat on the ground, with the two most recent appearing before the inflorescence. The bulb is ovoid and grows solitary or in clumps, reaching a diameter of up to 3.2 inches (8 cm). The leaves are tongue-shaped, flat or channeled, usually with cilate margins, and can measure up to 20 inches (50 cm) long and 4.6 inches (11.5 cm) wide. They are light green, sometimes with white spots.

In late fall and winter, Haemanthus albiflos produces a compact umbel on top of erect or reflexed stalk that can grow up to 14 inches (35 cm) long and 0.6 inches (1.5 cm) in diameter. The umbel can reach a diameter of 2.8 inches (7 cm) and comprises 25 to 50 small, white flowers with extended white stamens holding yellow anthers. The fruits are ovoid, pulpy berries ranging from white to orange or red. They can grow about 0.4 inches (1 cm) in diameter.

Haemanthus albiflos (Paint Brush) - World of Succulents (1)

Hardiness

USDA hardiness zones 10a to 11b: from 30 °F (−1.1 °C) to 45 °F (+7.2 °C).

How to Grow and Care

Haemanthus albiflos is ideal for a shady rock garden or for difficult parts of the garden receiving poor light, where it can multiply for many years.

Once established, it requires a dappled shade position and likes to remain undisturbed for many years. The soil must be well aerated. A suggested medium is equal parts of well-rotted compost, coarse river sand, and loam. Plant the greenish bulbs with the upper half exposed and the thick fleshy roots spread horizontally over the soil.

It also makes an excellent subject for plastic or terracotta containers, and these need not be deep as the roots naturally spread out horizontally. Pots of Haemanthus albiflos can be grown very successfully on a shady veranda. This plant is also suitable as an indoor plant, where it should be placed in a position that receives dappled light but not direct sunlight. This plant likes to become pot-bound, and mature bulbs flower reliably yearly and only need to be divided every 7 or 8 years when flowering performance diminishes. However, Haemanthus albiflos is not hardy and must be grown under a cool greenhouse's protection house in countries with very cold winter conditions.

Haemanthus albiflos can be propagated by seed and separating offsets from thick clumps. Seeds are sown once the ripe berries have become soft and turned orange or red from the end of winter to early summer. Offset bulbs are best separated from thick clumps in early spring as temperatures rise, ensuring each offset has a good supply of roots.

Haemanthus albiflos is not often attacked by pests or diseases, but the leaves are sometimes invaded by the Dreaded Lily Borer, also known as the Amaryllis Caterpillar.

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