Common Name: Yellow Fire Lily

General Information

Cyrtanthus breviflorus is an evergreen plant growing around 7.5 - 30cm tall from an underground bulb[, ].
The plant is occasionally harvested from the wild for local use as a food. It is grown as an ornamental.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

Africa - Kenya to Tanzania and Angola, south to S. Africa..

Habitat

Small streams, wet grassland or marshy slopes; at elevations up to 3,000 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Habit	Evergreen Bulb
Height	0.20 m
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Cyrtanthus breviflorus is a plant mainly found in seasonally dry tropical and subtropical climates. It is somewhat cold tolerant, surviving short-lived periods when temperatures fal as low as -5°c. It becomes deciduous when grown in the cooler parts of its range[].
Easily grown in a moist soil[]. Requires a free-draining light soil in full sun[].
Plants can flower all year round, though most commonly after spring fires[].
It is best to keep the plants fairly dry when they are resting[].
A very variable plant[].

Edible Uses

A food plant[]. No more details are given.

The flowers are edible[].

The bulb is edible[].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - best sown in a greenhouse as soon as it is ripe, otherwise in spring. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.
Division of offsets after flowering.