Sandersonia, or the Christmas bells flower, produces unique lantern-shaped orange blossoms. This stunning plant brings a vibrant splash of color to gardens and homes alike. Its common name comes from the bell-like shape of its flowers, which often appear around the festive season in its native regions.
If you’re looking for a conversation-starting cut flower or a unique garden addition, sandersonia is a fantastic choice. This guide covers everything you need to know to grow and enjoy these golden blooms successfully.
Sandersonia
Sandersonia is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the Colchicaceae family. It originates from South Africa, specifically the provinces of KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape. The genus contains only one recognized species: *Sandersonia aurantiaca*.
This perennial plant grows from underground tubers. These tubers are its storage organs, allowing it to survive dry periods. In spring, slender stems emerge, bearing lance-shaped leaves and culminating in its famous flowers.
The blooms are its most defining feature. They hang delicately from thin, curved pedicels, resembling Chinese lanterns or tiny bells. Their interior is often speckled, adding to their intricate beauty.
Botanical Characteristics And Growth Habit
Understanding its growth pattern helps you provide the right care. Sandersonia is a climber, though it’s not overly vigorous. It uses its leaf tips to twine around supports. In the garden, it typically reaches heights of 24 to 36 inches.
The growth cycle follows a clear pattern. After flowering in summer, the plant begins to die back in late autumn. The foliage yellows and withers, signaling the tuber’s entry into dormancy. This rest period is crucial for next season’s bloom.
Understanding the Tuber
The tuber is the heart of the plant. It looks somewhat like a small, forked ginger root. Each growing season, the old tuber is consumed to fuel growth, and a new one forms on top of it. You must handle these tubers with care during planting or storage, as they are brittle.
Ideal Climate And Growing Zones
Sandersonia thrives in conditions similar to its native habitat. It prefers warm summers and mild, frost-free winters. In terms of hardiness, it is best suited to USDA zones 9 through 11. In cooler zones, tubers can be lifted and stored overwinter, much like dahlias.
It enjoys a Mediterranean climate pattern: a moist, active growing season followed by a dry dormancy. Replicating this cycle is key to long-term success, whether you’re growing it outdoors or in containers.
How To Plant Sandersonia Tubers
Planting sandersonia correctly sets the stage for a healthy season of growth. The timing and method are straightforward but important to get right.
Choosing The Right Time For Planting
The best time to plant tubers is in early to mid-spring, after the danger of frost has passed. The soil should be warming up. If you start them indoors in pots about a month before the last frost, you can get a head start on the season.
Step-by-Step Planting Guide
Follow these steps for successful establishment:
- Select a planting site with well-draining soil and full sun to partial afternoon shade.
- Prepare the soil by mixing in generous amounts of compost or well-rotted manure. This improves drainage and fertility.
- Plant the tubers about 2 inches deep. Place them horizontally with the “eyes” or growing points facing upwards.
- Space tubers approximately 8 to 12 inches apart to allow for adequate air circulation.
- Water the planted area gently but thoroughly to settle the soil around the tuber.
If you are planting in containers, choose a pot at least 10-12 inches deep with excellent drainage holes. Use a high-quality potting mix.
Soil Preparation And Requirements
Soil quality is non-negotiable. Sandersonia demands excellent drainage to prevent tuber rot. A sandy loam amended with organic matter is ideal. The soil pH should be slightly acidic to neutral, ranging from 6.0 to 7.0.
You can test drainage by digging a hole, filling it with water, and seeing how quickly it drains. If it takes more than a few hours, you need to amend the soil further with coarse sand or grit.
Caring For Your Sandersonia Plants
Once planted, sandersonia requires consistent but simple care. The main priorities are water, support, and feeding.
Watering And Fertilizing Schedule
Watering needs change throughout the cycle. Keep the soil consistently moist but never soggy during active growth and flowering. Reduce watering as the foliage begins to yellow after blooming. During dormancy, keep the tubers completely dry.
For fertilizing, apply a balanced, slow-release fertilizer at planting time. Then, feed every two weeks with a liquid fertilizer high in potassium (like a tomato feed) once the flower buds begin to form. This supports strong stem and bloom development.
Providing Support For Climbing Stems
Since sandersonia is a twining climber, it needs support. Install this at planting time to avoid damaging the tubers later. Good options include:
- Thin bamboo canes or twiggy sticks placed around the plant.
- A section of pea or bean netting attached to stakes.
- A decorative obelisk or trellis for container-grown plants.
The stems will naturally reach for and wrap around these supports as they grow.
Managing Pests And Diseases
Sandersonia is relatively trouble-free but can encounter a few issues. Slugs and snails may attack the new spring shoots. Use your preferred method of control, such as organic bait or beer traps.
The most significant disease threat is tuber rot caused by overly wet soil. Ensuring perfect drainage is the best prevention. Aphids might occasionally appear on new growth; a strong spray of water or insecticidal soap usually manages them.
Propagating Sandersonia
You can increase your collection of these beautiful plants through propagation. The two primary methods are by dividing tubers and growing from seed.
Division Of Tubers
This is the easiest and most reliable method. Divide tubers during the dormant period, just before spring planting. Carefully separate the new tubers that have formed attached to the old one. Ensure each division has at least one growing point or “eye”.
Let the cut surfaces dry and callous over for a day before planting them as you would normal tubers. This prevents rot when they are placed in soil.
Growing Sandersonia From Seed
Growing from seed is a slower process but can be rewarding. Seeds require a period of cold stratification to germinate. You can mimic this by sowing seeds in pots in late fall and leaving them in a cold frame over winter.
Sow seeds on the surface of a moist, well-draining seed compost and lightly cover with grit. Germination can be slow and erratic, often taking several weeks to months. Seed-grown plants will take a few years to produce flowers of there own.
Harvesting And Using Sandersonia As Cut Flowers
Sandersonia is a prized cut flower due to its long vase life and unique form. It adds excellent texture and a warm color to arrangements.
When And How To Harvest Blooms
Harvest flowers in the cool of the morning or evening. Choose stems where the first one or two bells are just beginning to open fully. The remaining buds on the stem will continue to open in the vase.
Use sharp, clean scissors or pruners. Cut the stem at the desired length, but try to leave as much foliage on the plant as possible to nourish the tuber for next year.
Conditioning And Vase Life Tips
Proper conditioning maximizes vase life, which can be 10 to 14 days. Follow these steps:
- Immediately place cut stems in a bucket of deep, lukewarm water.
- Remove any leaves that will fall below the water line in the vase.
- Let the stems hydrate in a cool, dark place for several hours or overnight before arranging.
- Use a commercial flower preservative in the vase water, and change the water every two days.
Keep arrangements away from direct sunlight, drafts, and ripening fruit, which releases ethylene gas that shortens flower life.
Overwintering and Dormancy Care
Understanding and respecting its dormancy is essential for perennial growth, especially in cooler climates.
Preparing Plants For Dormancy
In late autumn, the plant’s leaves will start to yellow and die back naturally. This is your cue to stop watering. Allow the foliage to wither completely; this process sends energy back into the tuber.
Lifting And Storing Tubers In Cold Climates
In areas with winter frost, you must lift the tubers for storage. After the foliage has died back, carefully dig up the tubers. Brush off excess soil and let them dry in a warm, airy place for a week.
Store the dried tubers in a box filled with slightly moist peat moss, vermiculite, or wood shavings. Place the box in a cool, dark, and frost-free location, like a garage or basement, where temperatures stay between 40-50°F. Check occassionally for signs of shriveling or mold.
Common Problems and Troubleshooting
Even with good care, you might encounter some challenges. Here are solutions to frequent issues.
Yellowing Leaves And Lack Of Flowers
Yellowing leaves at the end of the season is normal. However, yellowing during growth can signal overwatering or poor drainage. Check your soil moisture and drainage immediately.
A lack of flowers is often due to insufficient light or inadequate potassium. Ensure the plant gets at least 6 hours of sun and use a high-potassium fertilizer during the budding stage.
Tuber Rot And Fungal Issues
Tuber rot is the most serious problem and is always linked to excess moisture. Prevent it by ensuring perfect drainage at planting time and avoiding overwatering. If you find a soft, mushy tuber during storage, discard it to prevent spread.
Design Ideas and Companion Planting
Sandersonia’s vibrant color and form make it a versatile design element in the garden.
Using Sandersonia In Garden Borders
Plant it in the middle of sunny borders where its delicate stems can weave through other plants. It combines beautifully with plants that have contrasting forms, such as:
- Spiky flowers like salvias or veronica.
- Broad-leaved plants like hostas (in partial shade settings).
- Airy grasses that allow its flowers to stand out.
Container Gardening With Sandersonia
It is an excellent container plant. Use a large, deep pot and plant three to five tubers for a full display. Provide a small trellis or obelisk in the center for support. You can underplant with trailing plants like lobelia or sweet alyssum to cover the soil surface.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sandersonia Perennial?
Yes, sandersonia is a tender perennial. It grows from tubers that return each year in warm climates (zones 9-11). In colder zones, the tubers can be lifted and stored indoors over winter, then replanted in spring.
How Do You Pronounce Sandersonia?
It is pronounced san-der-SOH-nee-uh. The common name, Christmas bells, refers to the shape of its flowers and its historical flowering time in its native Southern Hemisphere habitat.
Are Sandersonia Flowers Toxic?
Yes, all parts of the sandersonia plant are toxic if ingested, as it is related to the colchicum family. It contains alkaloids that can be harmful. Keep it away from pets and children, and wash your hands after handling the tubers.
What Is The Difference Between Sandersonia And Chinese Lanterns?
They are often confused due to the similar “lantern” shape. Sandersonia (*Sandersonia aurantiaca*) is a living flower from a tuberous plant. Chinese lanterns (*Physalis alkekengi*) are a hardy perennial where the colorful part is a papery orange calyx surrounding a berry.
Can You Grow Sandersonia Indoors?
You can force tubers indoors for early blooms. Plant them in pots in late winter and place them in a bright, cool room. They will need strong light to prevent leggy growth. After flowering, continue to care for the foliage until it dies back, then store the tuber for its dormant period.