Nerine Flowers
Name : Nerine Flowers
Latin Name : Genus: Nerine, (Nerine bowdenii)
Nerine Description
Nerine is a genus comprising of about 30 species of flowering plants belonging to the Amaryllidaceae Family, native to South Africa. This genus has been widely cultivated and hybridized and enjoys world wide dispersion.
Common names for the Nerine flower include Nerine Lily, Guersney Lily, Spider Lily, Cape Flower, Japanese Spider Lily and Jersey Lily.
The Nerine is a chic, dainty flower, about 4cm across, with long stalks bearing slender petals. Due to the numerous hybrids and cultivars, Nerine flowers come in a variety of colour ranging from almost white to deep pink blossoms with distinctive, curvy margins to the petals, the stamens and styles curve to one side like elegant gift ribbons. Other colours include various shades of pink from a brilliant fuchsia shade to icy-cool blush pink, bubblegum pink, bright tea rose tones, pure white, reddish-orange and cherry red.
In late winter and spring the Nerine plant produces several strap-like, dull green leaves, arranged in two rows. Each leaf is about 20 cm in length and 1 cm broad. By late spring the leaves die down and the bulb stays dormant until late summer. During the fall season, each Nerine bulb produces a single naked stem 30 cm in length which bears a cluster of 2 to 12 funnel-shaped pink flowers on top.
Nerine flowers are commercially available all year round, while the main flowering season is from June to January. Depending on the variety, Nerines may be winter growing, summer growing or evergreen.
Most Nerine varieties are delicate greenhouse bulbs, but Nerine bowdenii is the best known, hardy variety which can be planted outdoors in a warm sunny border. Nerines prefer full sun and well-drained, light soil. Propagation can be done by division of clumps in spring or by offsets detached from older bulbs after the flowers have faded. Some varieties may also be propagated by seeds. Nerines can be grown in pots or containers, adding colour to patios, steps and windowsills.
Other varieties include Nerine crispa which has a very fine structure and appears in late autumn; N. sarniensis has red-orange flowers and appears at Christmas.
Nerine varieties make excellent cut flowers with their tall, upright habit and ribbon like fancy flowers. Nerines average about 10-14 days in the vase and are ideal for oriental and contemporary arrangements. Nerines look devine in hand-tied bouquets and table centre pieces and are perfect for wedding themes and corsage work. Their chic look and wide array of colours makes Nerines the perfect choice for bridal bouquet and crown adding a touch of the exotic.
Nerine Meaning
The genus name Nerine comes from the Greek word Nereus, meaning "sea sprite" or "wet one."
The variety Nerine bowdenii is also known as the Jersey lily after the actress Lily Langtry. The actress acquired this nickname as she was from the Isle of Jersey, UK.
The variety N. sarniensis or the Guernsey lily derives its name from a ship that was wrecked on Guernsey, the second largest of the Channel Islands, located off the coast of Normandy. The ship was carrying Nerine bulbs that washed ashore and took root on the island's sandy beaches. The fact that the ship was Japanese led to the initial misunderstanding that Nerines were Japanese in origin.
Nerine Mythology
The delicate Nerine blooms are named after a sea nymph for Greek mythology. It is said that Nereids were sea nymphs, daughters of the sea god Nereus, also known as The Old Man of the Sea.
According to a legend about Nerine’s origin, the fairy king won the heart of a beautiful lady, Michelle and tried to take her away to his kingdom. Michelle was reluctant to leave her family and asked the fairy king to give her a token by which her family could remember her. The king gave her a bulb of Guersney Lily which she planted on the Island of Guersney before leaving with the fairy king. When she didn’t return home her mother went looking for her and found the bulb in full bloom and immediately knew that her daughter had planted it. This is how the flower earns the common name Guersney Lily.
The Lusiad by Luis de Camoëns, a 16th century Portuguese poet, describes the epic tale of Portuguese adventurers and in the following selection, he describes how Nerine rides the waves with Venus and other sea nymphs:
Now through the ocean in great haste they flunder,
Raising the white foam with their silver tayles.
Cloto with bosom breaks the waves in sunder,
And, with more fury then of custom, sayles;
Nise runs up an end, Nerine (younger)
Leaps o’er them, frizled with her touching Scales,
The crooked Billows (yielding) make a lane
For the feard Nymphs to post if through the Maine.
