Habranthus tubispathus (Rio Grande copperlily)

Japanese name: ハブランサス ツビスパツス
Scientific name: Habranthus tubispathus

[Overview]
A perennial about 10–20 cm tall.
It has a bulb underground.
The leaves are basal, thick and linear, and have withered by the flowering season.
A single flower is borne at the tip of the flower stalk that rises from the bulb.
The flower is a funnel-shaped, 6-petaled flower about 3 cm long, blooming facing somewhat sideways.
The flowers are yellow-orange, with darker veins on the outside.
Each flower closes after one day.
When rain falls, the flower stalk elongates and the flower opens.
There are 6 stamens, and the stigma of the pistil is 3-lobed at the tip.
The fruit is a capsule.

[Cultivation]
Propagate from seed or by dividing the bulbs.
The seeds have a relatively short life, so sow them immediately after harvesting.
It also spreads well by self-sown seed.
Plants flower 2–3 years after germination.
Divide the bulbs in spring; when planting, space them closely for dense planting (about 5–7 bulbs in a size 5 pot) and plant shallowly so that only the tops of the bulbs are covered.
In a sunny, well-drained place it is not particular about soil and grows well even if left alone.
It tolerates temperatures down to about 0 degrees, so in warm regions it can be left planted.
For potted plants, water thoroughly when the soil surface dries.
For plants in the ground, rainfall is sufficient unless summer brings a long spell of sunny weather and the soil becomes dry.
Do not let it run short of water during the growing season.
In addition to organic fertilizer as a base fertilizer, give a fertilizer high in potassium after flowering.
There are no particular pests or diseases.

[Notes]
A variety with pink flowers is known, but some consider it a color variant of the same species, and others suggest it is a hybrid.

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