Sad Blood Lily Plant Care
Haemanthus tristis Snijman
Updated · Sources · How we source care data
Haemanthus tristis is a perennial flowering plant and geophyte belonging to the genus Haemanthus. The species is endemic to the Northern Cape and the Western Cape and occurs in the southeastern Tankwa Karoo, where there are five subpopulations.
Every 7–10 days
Bright indirect to partial shade
60–75°F
50–70%
At a glance
How do you care for Sad Blood Lily?
Water Sad Blood Lily every 7–10 days, letting the top layer of soil dry out between waterings, and give it bright indirect to partial shade. It prefers temperatures of 60–75°F (16–24°C) and 50–70% humidity. Fertilize it every 6 months during the growing season. It is reported as toxic to pets, so keep it out of reach of pets.
Where Is the Sad Blood Lily Native To?
What Is the Sad Blood Lily?
Sad Blood Lily (Haemanthus tristis) belongs to the Amaryllidaceae family within the Haemanthus genus. Sad Blood Lily is native to the Northern Cape and the Western Cape and occurs in the southeastern Tankwa Karoo. Sad Blood Lily is also known as Blood Lily.
Sad Blood Lily displays a clumping perennial growth habit, reaching up to 1.5 ft tall with a spread of approximately 1 ft. Sad Blood Lily produces showy clusters of red or white flowers on tall stalks.
Leaf size: approximately 8 inches.
How Often Should You Water a Sad Blood Lily?
Haemanthus tristis requires watering every 7–10 days. Allow the top layer of soil to dry between waterings to prevent root rot. Reduce watering frequency during winter when growth slows.
Watering Frequency
Every 7–10 days
Let soil partially dry between waterings
What Light Does the Sad Blood Lily Need?
Sad Blood Lily thrives in bright indirect to partial shade. Avoid placing Sad Blood Lily in direct, harsh sunlight for extended periods, as this can scorch the foliage.
Light Requirement
Bright indirect to partial shade
What Temperature and Humidity Does the Sad Blood Lily Prefer?
Haemanthus tristis grows best at temperatures of 60–75°F. Sad Blood Lily prefers humidity levels of 50–70%. A pebble tray or humidifier helps maintain adequate moisture around the plant.
Temperature
60–75°F
Humidity
50–70%
What Soil Mix Works Best for a Sad Blood Lily?
Well-draining sandy soil mix with added organic matter. Good drainage is essential for Sad Blood Lily to prevent waterlogging, which leads to root rot and fungal issues.
How Often Should You Fertilize a Sad Blood Lily?
Feed Sad Blood Lily every 6 months during the growing season (spring and summer) with a balanced fertilizer diluted to the strength on the label.
Pause feeding in autumn and winter, when growth slows, and never fertilize dry soil — water first.
Fertilizing
Every 6 months
During the growing season
The PlantoScan app can remind you when to water and when to fertilize each plant.
How Do You Repot a Sad Blood Lily?
Repot every 2-3 years in early spring. Choose a pot one size larger than the current container, and ensure it has drainage holes to allow excess water to escape.
How Do You Propagate a Sad Blood Lily?
Sad Blood Lily can be propagated through offsets, seeds. Similar propagation techniques also apply to white paintbrush plant care, which shares the same genus.
Is the Sad Blood Lily Toxic to Pets and Children?
Toxic (caution)
Reported as toxic in our plant data. Not verified by the ASPCA.
Toxic to pets, can cause gastrointestinal upset if ingested
This is a general caution, not veterinary or medical advice. If your pet ate a plant, contact your vet or animal poison control.
See all plants toxic to cats and plants toxic to dogs.
What Pests and Diseases Affect the Sad Blood Lily?
Sad Blood Lily is susceptible to aphids, mealybugs, spider mites. Inspect the foliage regularly, especially along leaf undersides and stems. Treat infestations promptly with insecticidal soap or neem oil to prevent spread.
Yellow leaves, brown tips or drooping? See common plant problems and how to fix them.
What USDA Hardiness Zone Does the Sad Blood Lily Need?
Sad Blood Lily grows outdoors in USDA Zone 13a. It survives winters down to planting zone 13a. Sad Blood Lily is native to the Northern Cape and the Western Cape and occurs in the southeastern Tankwa Karoo. In cooler regions, grow Sad Blood Lily as a houseplant or bring it indoors before the first frost.
Hardiness Zone
Zone 13a
Keep exploring plants
Sad Blood Lily is one of many species covered in the complete plant care and identification guide, which groups plants by genus, attribute, and popularity.
It belongs to the Haemanthus genus — compare its care with other Haemanthus species on PlantoScan.
Haemanthus is part of the Amaryllidaceae plant family — browse all Amaryllidaceae genera and species.
Sad Blood Lily thrives in bright light and direct sun — see other bright-light plants.
More Haemanthus Species
Other Haemanthus species in PlantoScan's care catalogue share similar watering, light, and soil preferences:
Sources
- Scientific name & taxonomy: Haemanthus tristis Snijman, family Amaryllidaceae (first published in J. S. African Bot. , Suppl. 12: 54 (1984)) — World Flora Online record, IPNI name record.
- Pet toxicity: Sad Blood Lily is reported as toxic to pets in our plant data (not verified by the ASPCA), so treat it with caution. Checked against the ASPCA plant list; any other toxicity note on this page comes from PlantoScan's plant database.
- Hardiness zone: USDA Zone 13a, calculated from the plant's minimum temperature.
- Care values(watering, light, temperature, humidity, soil, fertilizing): PlantoScan's plant database, filtered by automatic plausibility checks — values that fail them are hidden. How we source and check plant data.
Spotted a mistake? Email info@upvision.media with the page link — we check and correct reported errors.
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