Scadoxus puniceus

This is one of South Africa’s most striking bulbous plants with a large underground bulb that can reach up to 10cm across. The plants are dormant in winter, using the large bulbs and roots to store moisture during that time.
The large inflorescences which can reach up to 15cm across are made of many smaller scarlet flowers with bright yellow anthers. The stalk can reach up to 50-60cm with purple blotches on its base. Many birds, including sunbirds, weavers feed on the nectar produced by the flowers.
Each stem consists of 6-8 leaves which are glossy green, reaching 30-40cm in length with wavy margins. They stand erect clasping at the base looking like a false stem.
The fruits are fleshy, round, shiny red berries up to 1cm in diameter. Inside, a single soft pearl-like seed can be found. These ripe berries are eaten by birds and monkeys.