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Boophone disticha

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Water Needs

low; drought hardy; water wise

Boophone disticha
Bulb
Bushman Poison Bulb; Century Plant; Sore-eye Flower

40 – 60 cm

Size

Light Conditions

sun

Frost

light; moderate

Flowers

Pink; red; spring

Garden Situation

dry sun; sun; grassland; rockery; sandy soils; container; wildlife bees butterflies insects.

Habitat

fynbos; grassland; coastal eastern cape; coastal kzn; hot dry; bushveld; rocky places

Region

karoo; succulent karoo; thicket; subtropical east coast; Highveld; bushveld savanna; western cape

Rain Season

winter; summer

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Description

This is a slow-growing, beautiful bulb with large flower heads in shades of pink to red, carried on a single stalk that emerges from the bare, leafless bulb at the end of winter. Once the plant has flowered, the beautiful grey-green leaves appear again displayed during summer as erect leaves arranged in an eye-catching fan pattern amongst the soft wild grasses; leaves grow up to 60 cm long. After flowering, heads develop fleshy seeds and the entire head can break off the dried stem and roll across the grassland spreading the seed as it tumbles. Plants develp extensive root systems. This large bulb, up to 17 cm in diameter, is very poisonous AND MUST NOT BE INGESTED. Bulbs also need to be kept out of reach of cattle and sheep.

Boophone disticha
Boophone disticha
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