Gloriosa superba - Flame Lily - 15 Seed Pack - Indigenous Bulbous Perennial Climber - NEW

Gloriosa is a genus of ten species in the plant family Colchicaceae, and include the formerly recognised genus Littonia. They are native in tropical and southern Africa to Asia and naturalised in Australia and the Pacific as well as being widely cultivated worldwide. The most common English names are flame lily, fire lily, gloriosa lily, glory lily, superb lily, climbing lily, and creeping lily.

They are tender, tuberous rooted deciduous climbing perennials, adapted to summer rainfall with a dormant dry season. They are also very well suited to pot culture which means that you can successfully grow them in pots in areas that receive frost. If left undisturbed in containers they will multiply like crazy. They make excellent cut flowers and last up to 10 days in a vase. The genus name Gloriosa comes from the word gloriosus, which means handsome.

Gloriosa superba is a striking indigenous plant with brilliant wavy-edged yellow and scarlet red flowers which appear from November to March in the Southern Hemisphere. Gloriosa superba has some medicinal uses and are used in preparations to treat intestinal worms, bruises, infertility, skin problems and impotence. It is also said that sap from the leaf tip is used for pimples and skin eruptions by the Tswana and Masai. Gloriosa superba is the national flower of Zimbabwe, where it is a protected plant. A diamond brooch in the shape of the flame lily was a gift from Zimbabwe (then Rhodesia) to Queen Elizabeth II on a visit in 1947 while she was still the crown princess. The flame lily must be allowed to scramble up through trees, alternatively provide a trellis in semi-shade area. In summer it needs to be well watered, however water should be withheld once the foliage begins to turn yellow.