Chasmanthe aethiopica

Chasmanthe aethiopica
Chasmanthe aethiopica

Common names: cobra lily (English). 
Botanical name: Chasmanthe aethiopica

Chasmanthe aethiopica, also known as small cobra lily, is a bulbous plant that grows up to 0.6 m high and produces spikes of orange, tubular flowers during autumn and winter, from April to June or rarely July. It is a common plant along the southwestern and southern coast of South Africa, growing in coastal bush and along the edges of forest patches, mainly in clay soils. The long-tubed, orange flowers of Chasmanthe aethiopica are adapted to pollination by sunbirds, and the fruits develop into large, swollen capsules that split open at maturity to expose the seeds, which are pea-sized and bright orange.

Uses & Benefits: pot plant

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Nature & Cultivation

Family: Iridaceae
Type: geophyte
Vegetation type: Peninsula Shale Renosterveld 
Flower colour: orange
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Plant-animal interactions: bees, birds
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