BRUNSVIGIA RADULOSA
Family : Amaryllidaceae
Common names : candelabra flower ( Eng. ); kandelaarblom, (Afr.); Lemathla (Southern Sotho)
Brunsvigia do look fabulous in a container but are at their most spectacular when the eye catching inflorescences are seen in open grassland. The thick leaves have rough edges and spread flat on the ground. The large bulb (200mm in diameter) produces a beautiful candelabra of up to 75 pale to bright pink flowers in summer. When this dries, it breaks off and tumbles around in the wind to distribute the seed. Sunbirds perch with ease on the pedicels and probe the flowers to reach the nectar and pollinate the plant.
The bulb is traditionally used to seal leaking clay pots and medicinally to ease birth. Seed germinates easily but needs to be looked after carefully. Although it will take many years to flower, it is certainly worth the wait!
Other Brunsvigia to look out for Brunsvigia Natalensis with darker red flowers from October to Jananuary or Brunsvigia grandiflora with erect leaves also flowering in summer.
The dried flower head with interesting spindle shaped seed capsules, when strung with fairy lights, becomes a festive decoration with an African twist.
Umgeni Valley Nature Reserve in Howick is a good place to see Brunsvigia in flower. Gates open 6am to 7pm, please register at office between 8am and 5pm, entrance fee is R25pp
Click on any of the links below to see another Dargle wildflower
Spring (September - November)
- Acalypha penduncularis
- Bauhinia natalensis
- Brunsvigia radulosa
- Carissa bispinosa
- Crinum bulbispermum
- Dais cotonifolia
- Eriosema distinctum
- Graderia scabra
- Hemizygia teucriifolia
- Hypoxis hemerocallidea
- Jasminum multipartatum
- Merwilla plumbea
- Morea huttonii
- Scadoxus puniceus
- Stophanthus speciosus
- Thunbergia natalensis
- Tritonia lineata
- Ursinia tenuiloba
- Veronia hirsuta
Summer (December - February)
- Asclepias albens
- Brunsvigia natalensis
- Brunsvigia undulata
- Crassula alba
- Dissotis canescens
- Eucomis humilis
- Gomphocarpus physocarpus
- Gunnera perpensa
- Helichrysum ecklonis
- Heliophila rifidiuscula
- Hesperantha coccinea
- Hibiscus aethiopicus
- Hypericum aethiopicum
- Papaver aculeatum
- Pentanisia prunelloides
- Polygala virgata
- Pterygodium magnum
- Ranunculus multifidus
- Saundersonia aurantiaca
- Sopubia cana
- Wahlenbergia sp.
- Zaluzianskya natalensis
- Zantedeschia aethiopica
Autumn (March - May)
- Alectra sessiliflora
- Athrixia phylicoides
- Clematis brachiata
- Coccinea palmata
- Crocosmia aurea
- Desmodium repandum
- Disperis fanninae
- Gnidea splendens
- Halleria lucida
- Kniphofia laxiflora
- Monopsis stellaroides
- Mushrooms
- Nerine pancratioides
- Pachycarpus grandiflorus
- Pavonia columella
- Plectranthus sp.
- Rabdosiella calycina
- Rubus ludwigii
- Satyrium macrophyllum
- Senecio tamoides
- Sutera floribunda
- Zornia capensis
Winter (June - August)
- Aloe arborescens
- Aloe maculata
- Buddleja salvifolia
- Crassula ovata
- Disperis woodii
- Dombeya rotundifolia
- Helichrysum adenocarpum
- Ledeboria sp.
- Leonotis leonorus
- Leucosidea sericea
- Moraea hiernalis
- Phymaspermum acerosum
- Podocarpus sp.
- Prunus africanus
- Senecio polyanthemoides
- Senecio speciosus
- Solanum giganteum
- Striga bilabiata
- Tulbaghia violaceae
- Zanthoxylum capense