Scadoxus puniceus

Scadoxus puniceus
Scadoxus puniceus

Common names: paintbrush lily (English). 
Botanical name: Scadoxus puniceus

The paintbrush lily, Scadoxus puniceus, is a stunning bulbous plant that produces large, dense heads of scarlet flowers with yellow anthers in spring and summer. The flowers attract nectar-feeding birds, such as sunbirds and weavers, while the fruits are eaten by birds and monkeys. The bulb is poisonous, but also used in traditional medicine to treat various ailments and ensure a safe pregnancy. The paintbrush lily is a popular garden plant that grows well in shady areas, in composted, well-drained soil. It can be propagated from seed but takes several years to flower.

Uses & Benefits: indoor, medicine, poison, pot plant

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Nature & Cultivation

Family: Amaryllidaceae
Type: geophyte
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Flower colour: orange, red
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Plant-animal interactions: bees, birds
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Use as Medicine

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