It is better to cultivate Geissorhiza splendidissima in pots as it does not grow well if not in its natural habitat.

The best way to grow these plants is from corms, but they are not always easily available, except from specialist growers. Plant the corms in small pots in March (in the southern hemisphere) once the heat of summer has passed. In the northern hemisphere, plant them in October.

One of the most important characteristics of these plants is their vegetative cycle: an alternation of a dormancy phase when the plant rests, which is often in the form of a bulb, corm or rhizome, and a vegetative phase. The word geophyte comes from the Greek word ge meaning ground and indicates that the rest of the organs are buried in the ground.

This winter-growing bulbous plant should be sown in autumn and allowed a long dormant period in summer, when watering must be withheld. Containers are best placed in semi-shade to prevent the corm from drying out.

Use a soil mixture of equal parts river sand and fine compost. The soil should have a slightly acidic pH (potential hydrogen) of no more than 6.0. Fertilizing the plants with a little organic fertilizer, such as KELPAK, during the first year will ensure that the bulbs mature before being stored for their summer rest period. Do not overfeed as this will result in more leaves being produced and fewer flowers.

After flowering, plants should be watered until the leaves start turning yellow, which indicates approaching dormancy. The plants can be left to dry off during the early summer months after which the corms can be dug up and stored in a cool dry place for replanting in early autumn the following year. Never store the corms in plastic bags — they usually sweat and rot!