Greetings, human caretaker. I am your Nerine bowdenii, a being of bulbs and blossoms, hailing from the rocky slopes of South Africa. I sense your frustration. You provide a home, and in return, I promise a spectacular display of pink, spider-like flowers each autumn. Yet, for you, I remain stubbornly green. From my perspective, flowering is not a choice but a response to my conditions meeting my very specific ancestral needs. Let me explain what might be amiss.
My most fundamental need is sunlight. In my native land, I bask in full, glorious sun. If you have placed me in too much shade, my leaves will grow, but my flowering mechanism remains dormant. I need the energy of at least six hours of direct sun daily to produce the rich sugars that fuel a flower spike. Furthermore, I require warmth during my growing season (spring and summer). A cool, sunless summer means I enter autumn underprepared and unable to bloom. Think of the sun as my invitation to the party; without it, I see no reason to get dressed up.
My entire existence is centered around my bulb. This is my larder and my command center. If you planted me too deeply, you have buried my ambition. My bulb's neck needs to sit at or just above the soil surface. When planted too deep, the energy required to push the flower spike through inches of soil is immense, and I may simply abort the mission. Conversely, if I am planted too shallow, I may not have established a strong enough root system to support the flowering process. It is a delicate balance, crucial for my success.
You must understand my natural cycle. I grow leaves in spring, which die back in late summer. Then, without leaves, I send up my naked flower stalk in early autumn. This cycle dictates my needs. If you water me too much in late summer when I am dormant, you risk rotting my bulb. More commonly, if you withhold water and fertilizer during my active leaf-growing period in spring and early summer, I will not have the stored resources to produce a flower. I need consistent moisture and a balanced, liquid fertilizer every few weeks while my leaves are green and photosynthesizing. This is when I am packing my lunchbox for the autumn bloom.
Unlike many plants, I actually prefer to be crowded. If you divided my clump of bulbs too recently, you have disrupted my rhythm. It can take a year or two for a newly divided or planted bulb to settle in, re-establish its root system, and gather enough strength to flower. I flower best when my bulbs are a bit congested. Please, be patient with me. Unless my clump has become so dense that it is pushing itself out of the ground, leave me be. I thrive on neglect in this particular department.
While I need summer sun, I also require a period of cooler winter temperatures to complete my annual cycle. A proper dormancy period is essential. If I am grown in a climate that is too warm year-round (like parts of Florida or Southern California), I may not receive the clear seasonal signal that it is time to rest and then flower. A frost-free winter is fine, but a distinct period of cooler weather helps reset my internal clock. In very cold regions (USDA zones below 7), if my bulb freezes solid, I will not flower because I may not survive. A thick mulch can help protect me.
