Haemanthus albiflos

Common Names

Shaving Brush Plant, Paintbrush, White Blood Lily, White Paint Brush, Paintbrush Lily, Powder Puff, Dappled Snowbrush, Elephant's Tongue, Paintbrush Plant, The Paintbrush Plant

Summary

Paintbrush Plant is an evergreen bulbous perennial native to southern Africa, with an eastern coastal distribution from Still Bay to Zululand and inland to Graaff-Reinet and Queenstown. It forms clumps via offsets and has strap-shaped leaves arising from a bulb up to 8 cm in diameter, with the upper half exposed. The inflorescence is a compact brush-like head of white flowers on a stalk, followed by berries that range from white to orange or red; pollination is by bees and butterflies.

Cultivation: easy to grow and tolerant of neglect, it grows best in shade or partial shade with well-drained, slightly acidic soil; plant bulbs with the upper half exposed; keep soil evenly moist year-round, with heavier watering in summer and lighter in winter, and avoid waterlogging. Propagation by offsets or seeds; offsets separate in spring; seeds may take years to flower. Uses include ornamental planting in shady courtyards, rock gardens, and containers, with flowering often year-round in cultivation; pests such as lily borer may attack leaves.

Lifecycle

Perennial (evergreen)

Height

8-12 inches

Spread

3-8 inches

Hardiness Zones

Zones 10a-12

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally partial shade.

Soil Type

Well-draining loam soil

Soil Drainage

Well-drained soil

Soil pH

Slightly acidic to neutral

Bloom Color

White

Bloom Time

Fall and Winter

Foliage Color

Green

Fall Foliage Color

Green

Leaf Lifecycle

Evergreen broadleaf

Growth Rate

Slow growth (about 7–8 cm per year)

Seasons of Interest

Fall and Winter

Propagation Methods

Seeds, Division (offsets), Leaf cuttings

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts bees and butterflies