You may also be interested in our Digital library.

• Amaryllidaceae.org (in French) (https://www.amaryllidaceae.org/) (English translation by Google)
• A-Z Photographic Database of Southern African Bulbous Plants (http://appliedmaths.sun.ac.za/~herbst/IBSA/) managed by The Indigenous Bulb Association of South Africa (IBSA)
• IBSA Indigenous Bulb Association of South Africa, Inheemse Bolplant Vereniging van Suid-Afrika (http://www.safricanbulbs.org.za/) seems to be offline [28 March 2018]
  • but recent activities can be found, such as
    • the 2017 Symposium at Goudini Spa: http://www.capetownbotanist.com/ibsa-bulb-corm-symposium-goudini-spa/
    • a compendium of photographs, apparently lacking any information: http://appliedmaths.sun.ac.za/~herbst/IBSA/
• The International Bulb Society formerly at www.bulbsociety.org appears not to be available [28 March 2018] and, bizarrely, seems to have been taken over by a French home improvement and gardening blog [1 October 2018]
• Keith’s Plant Books (http://www.keithsplantbooks.co.uk/) Supplier of a wide range of plant books. Click on “African Plants” or “Bulbs etc.” on the left of his page
• Nerine & Amaryllid Society (NAAS) (www.nerineandamaryllidsociety.co.uk/)
• Pacific Bulb Society (PBS) (https://www.pacificbulbsociety.org) “despite the word ‘Pacific,’ … is open to anyone, and covers bulbs from all over the world”, and has a list of plant societies around the world that focus completely or partially on bulbs
• Société Française des Iris et plantes Bulbeuses (SFIB) in French (http://www.iris-bulbeuses.org), but has a button on the right allowing you to select your preferred language as provided by Google Translate (including Afrikaans, Welsh, Yiddish, etc., so presumably automatic translation in at least some cases) (English translation by Google])
• Southern African Bulb Group (SABG) (https://www.sabg.tk) The group which provides these web pages, included here for completeness (and in case someone copies this list!)

• Bert Zaalberg‘s Massonia collection (in Leiden, the Netherlands) and web gallery (http://www.massonia.com) with very nice photos of S.A. bulbs (not just Massonias), various succulents (especially mesembryanthemums) and other plants, with concise cultivation tips for Massonia. Here is his latest seed list, last updated on 25th August 2023. See his Contacts page to download the latest versions of his lists of current stock for sale or email him at info@massonia.com.
• Audrey Cain's BulbWeb containing useful information from her extensive experience with bulbs grown over the years. Formerly at www.bulbweb.co.uk, this is a copy of her original home page, currently being restored.
• Exbury Nerine and Lachenalia Collection (http://www.nerines.com/) Nicholas de Rothschild and Theo Herselman have built up an extensive collection of these plants, which are exhibited periodically at Exbury Gardens near Beaulieu, Hampshire, and some of which can be ordered via the web site. Includes cultivation hints and many photos of named varieties of Nerine sarniensis and species and forms of Lachenalia.
• Paul Lewis‘s web-site (https://www.paullewis-plantbreeder.co.uk/): the “BLOG” page describes and illustrates the results of his Crocosmia and Gladiolus breeding. Contact him through his “ABOUT” page to ask how to acquire his plants.
• Terry Smale‘s web site (https://www.smale-conophytum.co.uk) is still available and includes sections on cultivation of South African bulbs.
• The African Garden (http://www.theafricangarden.com) Culture, photography, identification, research, horticultural promotion and conservation of Southern African Bulbs and their hybrids, by David Fenwick (“The site now contains over 870 pages and 2,500 images of South and Southern African Bulbs and Plants”).

• The Pacific Bulb Society PBS List: https://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php
• The Fynbos Hub: http://www.fynboshub.co.za/

• Anglia Bulb Company (https://www.angliabulbs.com/) general bulb sales, including a few South African species.
• Cotswold Garden Flowers (https://www.cgf.net/) Bob Brown’s nursery includes many South African bulbs, but not all are for sale (maybe depends on the time of year).
• Himalayan Gardens (himalayangardens.com) Although, as the name suggests, they do not specialise in South African bulbs, there are a few interesting species listed and illustrated on their web-site, including some Amaryllidaceae. Himalayan Gardens Ltd., Inshewan Estate, Inshewan by Forfar, Angus, Scotland DD8 3TU, UK, tel: +44 (0)1414 163 536, email: bulbs@himalayangardens.com
• Jacques Amand (https://jacquesamandintl.com/) are UK retail and wholesale suppliers of a very wide range of bulbs, including many South African species. Jacques Amand International Ltd, The Nurseries, Clamp Hill, Stanmore, Middlesex HA7 3JS, bulbs@jacquesamand.co.uk, tel: 020 8420 7110
• Rare Plants (https://rareplants.co.uk) a small company based in Wrexham, in North Wales, founded in 1972 by Paul Christian, who is still the director, and specialising in bulbous and similar plants, including terrestrial orchids. In 1985 the nursery moved to a lower altitude on the alluvial plain to the north of Wrexham, a site more suited to bulb cultivation. Bulbs may be bought from their web site, or printed lists are available from RarePlants, P.O. Box 468, WREXHAM LL13 9XR, UK, tel: +44 (0)1978 366 399
• R.V. Roger Ltd. (http://www.rvroger.co.uk) An extensive range of over 16,000 plants, bulbs and seeds, including many South African bulbs formerly the stock of The Bulb Nursery run by Rupert Bowlby, a late member of the SABG. RV Roger Ltd., The Nurseries, Malton Road (A169), Pickering, North Yorkshire YO18 7JW, UK tel: +44 (0)1751 472226 email: sales@rvroger.co.uk
• Tale Valley Nursery (the web site www.talevalleynursery.co.uk is not working, but they still seem to be attending plant fairs in 2018) A small specialist nursery with alpines, bulbs, herbaceous woodland plants and ferns, including a selection of winter and summer growing South African bulbs, with the National Collection of Rhodohypoxis and x Rhodoxis. Chris and Lorraine Birchall, Tale Valley Nursery, Barratt’s Cottage, Clyst Hydon, Cullompton, Devon EX15 2NQ, UK, tel: +44 (0)1884 277614, email: contactus@talevalleynursery.co.uk

• African Bulbs (http://www.africanbulbs.com) Cameron and Rhoda McMaster: “Suppliers of South African Bulbs and Seed by Mail Order and providers of guided Botanical Tours for clients wishing to view the unique and exciting South African Flora in wild habitats. Our small bulb nursery is situated in Napier, a village between Caledon and Bredasdorp in the Western Cape.”
• Cape Seed (https://www.capeseedandbulb.com) Jim Holmes in Stellenbosch near Cape Town, who has been growing and supplying South African bulbs (especially Clivia cultivars) for more than 30 years, world wide
• Lifestyle Seeds (https://lifestyleseeds.co.za): “Indigenous South African plants and seeds are our passion. We go to great lengths to be able to offer you a large variety of freshly picked seeds, and good quality plants and bulbs.”
• Massonia See the entry for Bert Zaalberg’s web site in the “Enthusiast’s web sites” section above
• SA Bulb Company; their latest list includes details and cultivation information
• Shire Bulbs (http://www.shirebulbs.co.za): Bulbs, mostly indigenous to the Eastern Cape; has a lot of information and photos accessible from the family links at the top of their home page and also a list with brief details useful for cultivation; latest August 2023 list (ignore the incorrect “2022” heading!) (older 2022 list). Rob Scott, Shire Bulbs, Stutterheim, Eastern Cape 4930, South Africa, tel: +27 (0)43 683 2452
• Silverhill Seeds (http://silverhillseeds.co.za) frequently supplies seeds and books to the UK and other countries
• Gordon Summerfield‘s latest (2023--2024) catalogue of South African indigenous bulbs and seeds (which supersedes the 2022 -- 2023 catalogue)
• Telos Rare Bulbs (http://www.telosrarebulbs.com) Primarily a California nursery, but their web-site has names and pictures of many South African species

Although these are intended primarily for botanists, they often contain photographs, detailed descriptions, localities, etc. I have also provided some links to bulb families within the Floras¹⁾, where available)

• There are several excellent web Floras sharing common organisers and software, linked to Kew, which cover the countries to the north of South Africa which were part of the area of the Flora Zambesiaca project:
  • Flora of Botswana (https://www.botswanaflora.com/index.php), list of families
    • Refer to the list of families to look for bulb genera, including Amaryllidaceae, Iridaceae, etc.
  • Flora of Caprivi²⁾ (https://www.capriviflora.com/index.php), list of families
  • Flora of Malawi (https://www.malawiflora.com/index.php), list of families
  • Flora of Mozambique (https://www.mozambiqueflora.com/index.php), list of families
  • Flora of Zambia (https://www.zambiaflora.com/index.php), list of families
  • Flora of Zimbabwe (https://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw/index.php)
    • Refer to the list of families to look for bulb genera, including Amaryllidaceae, Iridaceae, etc.

“Floras” as listed above are scientific accounts of all the plants of a given area, whereas “monographs” are scientific accounts of the plants of a particular taxonomic group, such as a genus or family.

• The South African Species of Dipcadi by A. A. Obermeyer (18 November 1964), Bothalia vol 8, No 2, DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/abc.v8i2.1615 | © 1964 A. A. Obermeyer, licensed under CC Attribution 4.0

The Plant List is a working list of all known plant species. It aims to be comprehensive for species of Vascular plant (flowering plants, conifers, ferns and their allies) and of Bryophytes (mosses and liverworts).

Collaboration between the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and Missouri Botanical Garden enabled the creation of The Plant List by combining multiple checklist data sets held by these institutions and other collaborators. The Plant List http://www.plantlist.org

Some families containing bulbous plants in The Plant List:

• Amaryllidaceae
• Iridaceae