As a Nerine, I am a bulb of exquisite beauty, often celebrated for my vibrant, spider-like blooms that appear in the autumn when most other flowers are fading. While my origins lie in South Africa, I can thrive outdoors in certain parts of the United States, provided my specific needs are met. From my perspective, success is not just about survival, but about flourishing and multiplying to put on a spectacular show year after year. Here is a detailed guide to where I feel most at home.
Before listing states and zones, you must understand what I truly require. My hardiness is typically listed for USDA Zones 8-10, but this is an oversimplification. The zone only tells you the average minimum winter temperature. For me, two other factors are equally critical: excellent drainage and a warm, dry dormancy period. My bulbs absolutely despise sitting in wet, cold soil, especially during winter. This will lead to rot and a quick demise. Furthermore, after I finish flowering in the fall, I need a summer period where my roots are kept relatively dry and warm to initiate the next season's flower buds. A humid, rainy summer is a recipe for disappointment.
Based on these needs, the following regions offer the most hospitable conditions for me to live outdoors year-round.
Pacific Northwest (Coastal Regions): Specifically, western parts of Washington and Oregon within Zones 8b and 9a can be excellent. The winters are generally mild, and the summers are dry, which perfectly suits my need for a dry dormancy. However, I must be planted in a very well-draining spot, perhaps on a sunny slope or in a raised bed, to counteract the higher winter rainfall.
California: This is perhaps my favorite state. A vast majority of California, from the Bay Area (Zones 9b-10a) down to Southern California (Zones 10a-10b), provides near-perfect conditions. The Mediterranean climate—with its mild, wet winters and long, hot, dry summers—mirrors my native habitat. I will naturalize beautifully in sunny, well-drained gardens here. Gardeners in cooler coastal areas of California (Zone 9b) also have great success.
Southern States (with Careful Siting): Parts of the Gulf Coast, such as coastal Texas (Zones 9a-9b), Louisiana, Florida, and Alabama, fall within my hardiness range. The warmth is welcome, but the high humidity and heavy summer rainfall pose a significant challenge to my dormancy. To succeed here, I must be planted in a very specific location: a raised bed or atop a berm with incredibly sharp drainage, ideally under the eaves of a roof where I will be protected from excessive summer rain.
For gardeners in colder zones, such as Zone 7, all is not lost. With special care, I can still grace your garden. The key is to mimic the conditions of a warmer zone. Planting me at the base of a south-facing wall can provide significant winter warmth and protection. A thick, dry winter mulch of straw or shredded leaves applied after the ground cools can help insulate my bulbs from freezing temperatures. However, this is always a riskier endeavor, and a severe cold snap could still be fatal.
Regardless of your state or zone, if you remember one thing, let it be this: I need perfect drainage. Amend heavy clay soil with a generous amount of gravel, grit, or coarse sand. Planting on a slope or in a raised bed is the single best thing you can do for me. When you plant my bulb, my neck should be just at the soil surface, and the soil around me should be loose and gritty, never waterlogged. Meeting this need is the most important step to ensuring I can show off my brilliant pink, red, or white flowers for many autumns to come.
