![]() ![]() Instead of the typical humdrum solution, this exciting plant caught my attention from across the street. Years ago I visited a private garden in Nutley, NJ where white caladiums were part of the foundation planting for striking color in the shade. Great landscapes are all about mixing color, texture and size. Often I wonder why customers fall into a rut, planting the same thing over and over again. For most, as soon as Mother’s Day arrives, their carts are filled impatiens, begonias and marigolds. This pest, which is most prevalent during the hot summer months, can be controlled by cutting away and disposing of affected leaves or spraying with a carbaryl-based insecticide in severe infestations.Every garden center carries an assortment of annual bedding plants in the spring and summer. ![]() Paint Brush is not often subject to attack by pests or diseases, but the leaves are sometimes invaded by the Dreaded Lily Borer, also known as Amaryllis Caterpillar. They should be replanted as soon as possible and kept well shaded until the bulbs have established themselves and formed additional roots. They should not be forcibly broken away from the mother bulbs but should be tugged away gently. Offset bulbs are best separated from thick clumps in early spring as temperatures begin to rise, ensuring that each offset has a good supply of roots. Seedlings should be allowed to remain in the trays for two years and can be planted out into the garden or permanent pots in spring at the beginning of their third season, during which time the first flowers can be expected under ideal conditions. ![]() Germination can take several months, so be patient. Seeds are sown once the ripe berries have become soft and turned a bright orange or red color from the end of winter to early summer. Propagation of Paint Brush is by seed and separating offsets from thick clumps. Paint Brush is not hardy and must be grown under the protection of a cool greenhouse in countries with very cold winter conditions. The plant likes to become pot-bound, and mature bulbs bloom reliably every year and only need to be divided every 7 or 8 years when flowering performance starts to diminish. A potted plant can be grown very successfully on a shady veranda, and it is also suitable as an indoor plant where it should be placed in a position receiving dappled light but not direct sunlight. Paint Brush is an excellent subject for plastic or terracotta containers, and these need not be deep as the roots naturally spread out horizontally. Plant the greenish bulbs with the upper half exposed, and the thick fleshy roots spread out horizontally over the soil. A suggested medium is equal parts of well-rotted compost, coarse river sand, and loam. It requires a dappled shade position and likes to remain undisturbed for many years once established. It is one of the easiest of all the Haemanthus species to grow. Paint Brush is an ideal plant for a shady rock garden or parts of the garden receiving poor light, where it can be left to multiply for many years. This plant is reported to be used in traditional medicine to treat chronic coughs and as a charm to ward off lightning. ![]() The upper half of the bulb is usually exposed above ground and is bright green. The fruits are in the form of a large berry and ripen to an eye-catching bright orange or red, attractive to birds. In the wild, the plant blooms in fall and winter but may bloom at any time of the year in cultivation. They may be smooth, shiny, and covered with short soft hairs or yellowish spots on the upper surface. The leaves are quite variable, from pale to dark to grey-green. With its handsome leaves, long flowering season, and red berries, it is an excellent choice for shady spots in the garden. It has a wide, mainly coastal distribution stretching from the southern Cape through many parts of the Eastern Cape up to the northern parts of KwaZulu-Natal. Haemanthus albiflos, commonly known as Paint Brush, is an evergreen to semi-evergreen bulbous plant native to South Africa. ![]()
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