PlantFiles: Nao
Conanthera trimaculata

This lovely Chilean Native corm plant has its natural habitat on sunny slopes with nutrient rich well drained soil.

Each spike has numerous nodding bell-shaped flowers; these are usually blue, and sometimes white species can be found. Three of the six tepals have black and white spots that add charme to this flower.

They can be used as cut flower.

Conantheras should be planted in nutrient rich lose organic soil with good drainage and provide regular watering. Corms should be lifted every three years in Autumn and replanted in fresh soil as previously described. The production of offset bulbils is very low. It is adviseable to fertilize once a year with fully mature manure.

Propagation from seeds: in autumn, in a mix made of equal portions of compost, vermiculite and river sand. Cover the sowing mix with a fine layer of sharp river sand, distribute the seeds and barely cover with another layer of sand. Do not transplant before one year, when the little corm has fully developed, into the same mix. Seed grown Conantheras will bloom the third year.


This lovely flowers can be grown in bulb beds, pots and containers.

There exist two more species of Conantheras:

- Conanthera bifolia (resembles a tropical bird head).
- Conanthera parvula

All three species have similar behaviour/requirements and are sometimes found growing all together in the wild.