Beginner
skill rating
Online Garden Tools
Useful videos
Galtonia candicans (Summer hyacinth)
1 hour care
per year
per year
1.5m
Max height
Max height
0.5m
Max spread
Max spread
1 year
To maturity
To maturity
Plant details
Botanical name
Galtonia candicans
Other names
Summer hyacinth, Spire lily, Berg lily
Genus
Galtonia Galtonia
Species
G. candicans - G. candicans is a clump-forming, deciduous, bulbous perennial with narrowly lance-shaped, grey-green leaves and slender, conical racemes of lightly fragrant, tubular to bell-shaped, white flowers in late summer.
Galtonia candicans is: Deciduous
Fragrance
Faintly sweet smelling in spring during flowering period
Habit
Clump-forming, Upright
Awards
RHS AGM (Award of Garden Merit)
Flower
White in Summer
Foliage
Grey-green in Spring; Grey-green in Summer
How to care
Watch out for
General care
Pruning
Remove leaves only after they have completely died down.
Propagation
Remove offsets in early spring.
Propagation methods
Offsets, Seed
Sign up for your FREE ACCOUNT today or login to receive detailed monthly care instructions
Where to grow
Galtonia candicans (Summer hyacinth) will reach a height of 1.5m and a spread of 0.5m after 1 year.
Suggested uses
Beds and borders, Cottage/Informal, Containers, Rock
Cultivation
Plant in fertile, well-drained soil that remains consistently moist in spring and summer. In cold areas, lift and overwinter in a container in a cool dry site or protect with a deep, thick, dry winter mulch.
Soil type
Chalky, Clay, Loamy, Sandy (will tolerate most soil types)
Soil drainage
Well-drained, Moist but well-drained
Soil pH
Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Light
Full Sun
Aspect
South, East, West
Exposure
Sheltered
UK hardiness Note: We are working to update our ratings. Thanks for your patience.
Hardy (H4)
Companion plants
Botanical name
Galtonia candicans
Other names
Summer hyacinth, Spire lily, Berg lily
Genus
Galtonia Galtonia
Species
G. candicans - G. candicans is a clump-forming, deciduous, bulbous perennial with narrowly lance-shaped, grey-green leaves and slender, conical racemes of lightly fragrant, tubular to bell-shaped, white flowers in late summer.
Native to
Lesotho, South Africa
Foliage
Deciduous
Fragrance
Faintly sweet smelling in spring during flowering period
Habit
Clump-forming, Upright
Awards
RHS AGM (Award of Garden Merit)
Create your free Shoot garden
Create your free SHOOT garden and make a record of the plants in your garden.
Add your own photos, notes, get monthly email reminders on how to care for your plants, and connect with other gardeners. Get started now.
Colour
Flower
White in Summer
Foliage
Grey-green in Spring; Grey-green in Summer
General care
Pruning
Remove leaves only after they have completely died down.
Propagation
Remove offsets in early spring.
Propagation methods
Offsets, Seed
Monthly care advice
Get access to monthly care advice
Create a free SHOOT account and get instant access to expert care advice for this and other plants in your garden.
You'll also receive handy monthly email reminders of what needs doing. Create your free account.
Where to grow
Galtonia candicans (Summer hyacinth) will reach a height of 1.5m and a spread of 0.5m after 1 year.
Suggested uses
Beds and borders, Cottage/Informal, Containers, Rock
Cultivation
Plant in fertile, well-drained soil that remains consistently moist in spring and summer. In cold areas, lift and overwinter in a container in a cool dry site or protect with a deep, thick, dry winter mulch.
Soil type
Chalky, Clay, Loamy, Sandy (will tolerate most soil types)
Soil drainage
Well-drained, Moist but well-drained
Soil pH
Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Light
Full Sun
Aspect
South, East, West
Exposure
Sheltered
UK hardiness Note: We are working to update our ratings. Thanks for your patience.
Hardy (H4)
USDA zones
Zone 10, Zone 9, Zone 8, Zone 7
In order to add a note on this plant, please add this plant to your plant lists.
| This plant likes... | Garden match | |
| Soil types: | Chalky, Clay, Loamy, Sandy (will tolerate most soil types) | Tell us... |
| Soil drainage: | Well-drained, Moist but well-drained | Tell us... |
| Soil pH: | Acid, Alkaline, Neutral | Tell us... |
| Light: | Full Sun | Tell us... |
| Aspect: | South, East, West | Tell us... |
| Exposure: | Sheltered | Tell us... |
| Hardiness: | Hardy (H4) | Tell us... |
COMPANION PLANTS
GARDENS WITH THIS PLANT
To add ? to your lists,
login to your account or subscribe.
Find out more about plant lists here
or Login
To add notes for this plant login to your account or register for a new account.
Sign up for freeor Login
To add images for this plant login to your account or register for a new account.
Sign up for freeor Login
To check if this plant is suitable for your garden first login to your account or subscribe.
or Login