Haemanthus hybrid
J.E. Shields (Tue, 18 Dec 2007 06:50:05 PST)

Hi Angelo and all,

I bought a bulb labeled 'King Alfred' from someone in the UK years ago. It
is supposed to be a cross between Haemanthus albiflos and H.
coccineus. The leaves can get huge, one year reaching ca. 8 inches wide
(20 cm) by 16 inches long (40 cm), if memory serves. It bloomed once, a
small, pale bloom. Its leaves show no signs of red lines. It has
produced several offsets, but none have yet reached a size sufficient for
blooming.

As I recall, 'King Alfred' is supposedly the name attached to crosses of
Scadoxus puniceus X katherinae. I don't know if H. albiflos X coccineus
has a name.

Angelo, I think you are correct in assuming that the seedlings are hybrids
since they have the red lines of coccineus on the abaxial surface
(underside). Some years back I made the cross Haemanthus humilis hirsutus
X coccineus. Those seedlings have red edges on the leaves, and some of
them have the horizontal or transverse red lines on the abaxial surface
near the base. The peduncles are coccineus-like, but taller, while the
bracts are erect and burgundy to bronze in color. H. humilis hirsutus has
no trace of red on its leaves.

Best wishes,
Jim Shields
in cold, snowy central Indiana (USA)

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