Lachenalia

Lachenalia J.Jacq. ex Murray is a genus with bulbs in the Hyacinthaceae family (or expanded Asparagaceae) found in Namibia and South Africa. There are around 133 accepted species (according to Plants of the World, 2018). Most of these have a dormancy period and grow new roots each year. Polyxena has been transferred to Lachenalia by J.C. Manning, P. Goldblatt & M.F. Fay in "A revised generic synopsis of Hyacinthaceae in sub-Saharan Africa, including new combinations and the new tribe Pseudoprospereae", Edinburgh Journal of Botany 60(3): 533-568 (2004). Those species continue to be found on the Polyxena wiki page. Information about Lachenalia from Don Journet was provided on the PBS list in three posts in February 2007. The first was a general introduction and discussion about growing the species, the second discussed propagation, and the third covered pests, diseases, general discussion, and references. Cameron McMaster has provided interesting information about this genus in an article he wrote for Farmer's Weekly in 2008.

The first complete illustrated systematic monograph of this genus by Graham Duncan The Genus Lachenalia was published in 2012.

Species of Lachenalia are very easily grown from seeds given that they are sown at the right time of year. List members have varied experiences but most agree that light is not needed for germination. More detailed information about germinating and growing this genus can be found in the post on propagation from Don Journet noted above.


These lachenalias in the first three photos were being used as bedding plants in Nieuwoudtville in September 2006. They could be cultivars or hybrids. Photos from Bob Rutemoeller and Mary Sue Ittner. The fourth photo is of a number of species and hybrids grown by Colin Davis. The fifth photo shows bulbs on a 1 cm grid by M. Gastil-Buhl. This last photo shows leaf cuttings with bulbils formed at the base by Colin Davis. Propagation of Lachenalia is quite productive with this method, yielding over 25 bulbils in this instance using less than 2 leaves.

Lachenalia in beds, Bob RutemoellerLachenalia aloides cultivars, Mary Sue IttnerLachenalia sp., Mary Sue IttnerLachenalias, Colin DavisLachenalia bulbs, M. Gastil-BuhlLachenalia quadricolor leaf cuttings, Colin Davis

See the wiki page of Lachenalia hybrids
Find species alphabetically or click on the species name in the table below:
Lachenalia a - Lachenalia b-c - Lachenalia d-i - Lachenalia j-n - Lachenalia o-p - Lachenalia q-t - Lachenalia u-z - Polyxena


Lachenalia species
Lachenalia alba, Nieuwoudtville, Mary Sue Ittner [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia alba
Lachenalia algoensis, iNaturalist, debbiebodley, CC BY-NC [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia algoensis
Lachenalia aloides, Bill Dijk [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia aloides
Lachenalia flava, Nhu Nguyen [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
*Lachenalia aloides var. aurea
Lachenalia quadricolor, Alan Horstmann [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
*Lachenalia aloides var. quadricolor
Lachenalia vanzyliae, Mary Sue Ittner [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
*Lachenalia aloides var. vanzyliae
Lachenalia ameliae, Jan and Anne Lise Schutte-Vlok [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia ameliae
Lachenalia angelica, Rod Saunders [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia angelica
Lachenalia anguinea, David Retief [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia anguinea
Lachenalia arbuthnotiae, Alan Horstmann [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia arbuthnotiae
Lachenalia attenuata, Mary Sue Ittner [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia attenuata
Lachenalia aurioliae, Alan Horstmann [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia aurioliae
Lachenalia bachmannii, Alan Horstmann [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia bachmannii
Lachenalia bolusii, Mary Sue Ittner [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia bolusii
Lachenalia bulbifera, Agulhas, Cameron McMaster [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia bulbifera
Lachenalia sp., possibly callista, Mary Sue Ittner [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia callista
Lachenalia campanulata, Cameron McMaster [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia campanulata
Lachenalia canaliculata, 3rd February 2019, Arnold Trachtenberg [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia canaliculata
Lachenalia capensis, Jan-Hendrik Keet, iNaturalist, CC BY-NC [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia capensis
Lachenalia carnosa, Carolusberg, Cameron McMaster [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia carnosa
Lachenalia comptonii, Bob Rutemoeller [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia comptonii
Lachenalia congesta, Alan Horstmann [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia congesta
Lachenalia contaminata, Boskloof, Cameron McMaster [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia contaminata
Lachenalia corymbosa, Alessandro Marinello [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia corymbosa
Lachenalia doleritica, Mary Sue Ittner [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia doleritica
Lachenalia elegans var. elegans, Rod Saunders [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia elegans
Lachenalia karoopoortensis, Rod Saunders [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
*Lachenalia elegans var. flava
Lachenalia membranacea, UCBG, Nhu Nguyen [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
*Lachenalia elegans var. membranacea
Lachenalia suaveolens, Bob Rutemoeller [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
*Lachenalia elegans var. suaveolens
Polyxena/Lachenalia ensifolia, Jan and Anne Lise Schutte-Vlok [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia ensifolia
Polyxena/Lachenalia maughanii close-up, Mary Sue Ittner [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia ensifolia ssp maughanii
Lachenalia fistulosa, Lion's Head, Andrew Harvie [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia fistulosa
Lachenalia flava, Jana Ulmer [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia flava
Lachenalia framesii, Knersvlakte, Cameron McMaster [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia framesii
Lachenalia giessii, Bert Zaalberg [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia giessii
Lachenalia gillettii, now included in L. pallida, Mary Sue Ittner [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
*Lachenalia gillettii
Lachenalia haarlemensis, Jan and Anne Lise Schutte-Vlok [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia haarlemensis
Lachenalia hirta, Namaqualand, Mary Sue Ittner [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia hirta
Lachenalia isopetala, Alan Horstmann [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia isopetala
Lachenalia juncifolia, Mary Sue Ittner [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia juncifolia
Lachenalia karooica, Jan and Anne Lise Schutte-Vlok [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia karooica
Lachenalia karoopoortensis, Rod Saunders [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia karoopoortensis
Lachenalia kliprandensis, Mary Sue Ittner [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia kliprandensis
Lachenalia latimeriae, Jan and Anne Lise Schutte-Vlok [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia latimerae
Lachenalia leipoldtii, Bert Zaalberg [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia leipoldtii
Lachenalia liliflora, Mary Sue Ittner [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia liliflora
Lachenalia longibracteata, Alan Horstmann [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia longibracteata
Polyxena/Lachenalia longituba flowers from second year, Bob Rutemoeller [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia longituba
Lachenalia lutea, Colin Davis [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia lutea
Lachenalia luteola, Tony Rebelo, iNaturalist, CC BY-SA [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia luteola
Lachenalia magentea, Charleen Brunke, iNaturalit, CC BY-NC [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia magentea
Lachenalia marginata, Alan Horstmann [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia marginata
Lachenalia mathewsii, Mary Sue Ittner [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia mathewsii
Polyxena/Lachenalia maughanii close-up, Mary Sue Ittner [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
*Lachenalia maughanii
Lachenalia mediana, Mary Sue Ittner [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia mediana
Lachenalia membranacea, UCBG, Nhu Nguyen [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia membranacea
Lachenalia minima, Alan Horstmann [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia minima
Lachenalia multifolia, Nhu Nguyen [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia multifolia
Lachenalia mutabilis, Nhu Nguyen [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia mutabilis
Lachenalia namaquensis, Bert Zaalberg [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia namaquensis
Lachenalia namibiensis, Alan Horstmann [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia namibiensis
Lachenalia nardousbergensis, Margaret Fox [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia nardousbergensis
Lachenalia neilii, Bert Zaalberg [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia neilii
Lachenalia nervosa, Cameron McMaster [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia nervosa
Lachenalia obscura, Rod Saunders [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia obscura
Lachenalia orchioides ssp. orchioides, Alan Horstmann [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia orchioides
Lachenalia orchioides ssp. glaucina, Lion'sHead, Mary Sue Ittner [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia orchioides ssp. glaucina
Lachenalia orthopetala, Andrew Harvie [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia orthopetala
Lachenalia pallida, Mary Sue Ittner [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia pallida
Lachenalia patentissima, Justin Hawthorne, iNaturalist, CC BY-NC [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia patentissima
Lachenalia patula, Namaqualand, Andrew Harvie [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia patula
Polyxena/Lachenalia paucifolia, Mary Sue Ittner [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia paucifolia
Lachenalia peersii, Cameron McMaster [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia peersii
Lachenalia polyphylla, Riaan van der Walt, iNaturalist, CC BY-NC [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia polyphylla
Lachenalia polypodantha, ssp. eburnea, Alan Horstmann [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia polypodantha
Lachenalia punctata, Mary Sue Ittner [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia punctata
Lachenalia purpureocaerulea, Alan Horstmann [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia purpureocaerulea
Lachenalia pusilla, Mark Mazer [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia pusilla
Lachenalia pustulata, now considered L. pallida, Arnold Trachtenberg [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
*Lachenalia pustulata
Polyxena/Lachenalia pygmaea, Nhu Nguyen [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia pygmaea
Lachenalia quadricolor, Alan Horstmann [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia quadricolor
Lachenalia reflexa, Mary Sue Ittner [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia reflexa
Lachenalia rosea, Andrew Harvie [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia rosea
Lachenalia punctata, Mary Sue Ittner [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
* Lachenalia rubida
Lachenalia salteri, Mary Sue Ittner [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia salteri
Lachenalia sargeantii, Cameron McMaster [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia sargeantii
Lachenalia schelpei, Alan Horstmann [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia schelpei
Lachenalia splendida, Mary Sue Ittner [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia splendida
Lachenalia sp., Middelpos, Mary Sue Ittner [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia spp.
Lachenalia suaveolens, Bob Rutemoeller [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia suaveolens
Lachenalia summerfieldii, Alan Horstmann [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia summerfieldii
Lachenalia thomasiae, Mary Sue Ittner [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia thomasiae
Lachenalia thunbergii, Fiona Hellmann, iNaturalist, CC BY-NC [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia thunbergii
Lachenalia trichophylla, Bob Rutemoeller [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia trichophylla
Lachenalia undulata, Mark Mazer [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia undulata
Lachenalia pallida, was L. unicolor, Clanwilliam, Mary Sue Ittner [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
*Lachenalia unicolor
Lachenalia unifolia, Rod Saunders [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia unifolia
Lachenalia vanzyliae, Mary Sue Ittner [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia vanzyliae
Lachenalia ventricosa, Alan Horstmann [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia ventricosa
Lachenalia violacea, Middelpos, Cameron McMaster [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia violacea
Lachenalia viridiflora, Digby Boswell [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia viridiflora
Lachenalia whitehillensis, Jan and Anne Lise Schutte-Vlok [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia whitehillensis
Lachenalia xerophila, Alan Horstmann [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia xerophila
Lachenalia youngii, Cameron McMaster [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia youngii
Lachenalia zebrina, Rod Saunders [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia zebrina
Lachenalia zeyheri, Andrew Harvie [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lachenalia zeyheri
* = synonym

Lachenalia hybrids -Lachenalia a - Lachenalia b-c - Lachenalia Species d-i - Lachenalia j-n - Lachenalia o-p - Lachenalia q-t - Lachenalia u-z - Polyxena


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