christmas bells
Sandersonia aurantiaca
USDA zones9 to 10
SunHandles full sun to partial sun
WaterNeeds moderate soil
Size1 to 3 feet tall12 inches wide
- Bloom season
- Summer, autumn, winter
- Soil types
- Sand, loam, chalk
- Soil pH
- Acid, neutral, alkaline
Garden uses
Attracts
Notes
Christmas bells (Sandersonia aurantiaca) is a bulb for borders, containers, and low maintenance gardens. It grows outdoors year-round in USDA zone 9 and warmer, down to about 20°F (-7°C). In colder areas, grow it as a houseplant or bring it indoors for winter. This plant likes full or part sun, average moisture, and sandy, loamy, or chalky soil. It grows 12 to 36 inches tall, and butterflies and bees visit the summer blooms.
Pairs well with Stargazer lily, Miscanthus, and Speedwell.
Native range
Afrika: Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal en Mpumalanga, and Swaziland..