CHASMANTHE AETHIOPICA

Botanical name: Chasmanthe aethiopica

Family: Iridaceae

Afrikaans: Klein suurkanolpypie, klein piempiempie, klein kobra-lelie

English: Small chasmanthe, small cobra lily

INTRODUCTION

CHASMANTHE AETHIOPICA flowers from early winter in bright Oros-orange. Don’t you just love them? Such happy flowers amongst the spear-shaped leaves.

It is also called the Small Cobra Lily. They don’t attract snakes 😁, but the shape of the flower resembles the head of a cobra. Take another look at the pictures. Once you have seen it, you can’t unsee it.

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DESCRIPTION

The plants form extensive clumps of corms if given some space. The sword-shaped, soft leaves appear after the first rains, followed by the flower stems gradually emerging. By early winter they begin flowering, their brilliant Oros-orange blooms bringing colour to the landscape.

These are followed by orange seeds. By early spring the plants die down, leaving the corms dormant underground during the hot summer months.

DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT

Chasmanthe aethiopica occurs from Darling along the coast to the Kei River.

POLLINATION AND USES IN NATURE

The bright flowers attract nectar-feeding birds and insects, which act as pollinators.

The fleshy coating around the seeds is favoured by red-winged starlings, which help distribute them. Porcupines dig up the corms and, where some are left behind, new plants may establish. Baboons pull out the young leaves to chew the soft fleshy bases and will also snack on the corms.

PLANTING CHASMANTHE IN YOUR FYNBOS GARDEN

Chasmanthe aethiopica makes an excellent garden plant in Rooiels and throughout the Kogelberg area. In fact, you often do not need to plant it at all—it grows here naturally. If you have a large clump, you can lift and divide some of the corms to establish plants elsewhere in your garden.