Haemanthus coccineus leaves

Haemanthus coccineus grows two or three spreading or semi-erect leaves annually per bulb after flowering. The third leaf may indicate comfortable conditions such as cultivation. The photo was taken in August in Namaqualand. This is a variable species, its leaves also quite variable.

The leaf is broadly to narrowly tongue-shaped, elliptic or nearly round. Leaf dimensions are about 6 cm to 70 cm long by 2,5 cm to 21 cm wide. The hairy fringe on the leaf margin seen in picture is often present, as is the up-turned lateral blade parts and the rolled-under margins. The blades are dull to pale green, thickish textured, longitudinally ridged faintly and smooth but for the margins.

In picture the lower surface has darker green transversal band markings, becoming less pronounced in shade higher up and more widely spaced. These markings are sometimes red, maroon or brownish (Duncan, et al, 2016; Manning, 2007; Le Roux, et al, 2005).