The name “blood lily” might sound ironically hardcore for a flower, but since the fiery-hot hues of Scadoxus multiflorus blooms are blood-like, it’s actually a pretty accurate name.

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This crimson color pairs well with the light green hue of the leaves.

Combine these delightful colors with the striking floral shape, and you’ve got a really awesome plant on your hands. But how to grow it?

With knowledge, that’s how… and this guide has all the know-how you need to begin your plant parentage, from propagation to cultivation.

Here’s what we’ll be talking about:

What Are Blood Lilies?

Formerly classified as Haemanthus multiflorus, Scadoxus multiflorus is a bulbous perennial from the Amaryllidaceae, or amaryllis, family which includes snowdrops, daffodils, and amaryllis flowers.

Hardy in USDA Zones 9 to 11, the blood lily traces its origins to tropical Africa, parts of South Africa, and the Arabian Peninsula. Even though it has “lily” in the name, S. multiflorus isn’t a true lily plant of the Lilium genus.

Let’s start with the bloom clusters: Red, spherical, and four to six inches in diameter, the flower heads are actually composed of many individual blooms borne on one to two inches of succulent stem, each with six pinkish-red petals and six yellow-tipped red stamens.

Blooming in summer, these flowers persist for up to two weeks. If pollinators do their thing, then orange to red berries will follow in fall.

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