Hesperantha coccinea

Hesperantha coccinea, the river lily, or crimson flag lily[1] (syn. Schizostylis coccinea Backh. & Harv.), is a species of flowering plant in the iris family Iridaceae, native to Southern Africa and Zimbabwe.

Hesperantha coccinea
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Iridaceae
Genus: Hesperantha
Species:
H. coccinea
Binomial name
Hesperantha coccinea

It is a semievergreen perennial growing to 60 cm (24 in) tall, with slender lanceolate leaves up to 40 cm (16 in) long and 1 cm (0.4 in) broad. The flowers are red, occasionally pink or white, 30–35 mm long, with six petals; they are produced four to ten alternately on a spike in late summer to autumn.

The Latin specific epithet coccinea means “bright red”.[2]

Cultivation

Hesperantha coccinea is cultivated as an ornamental plant in gardens for its flowers, It is often used in floristry. Hardy down to between −5 to −10 °C (23 to 14 °F), in colder regions it is grown under glass.[3] It was formerly known in cultivation as "Kaffir lily", and is still occasionally referenced as such. However, "Kaffir" is now regarded as an offensive ethnic slur.

Numerous cultivars are available, of which the following have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit:-[4]

  • 'Jennifer'[5] (mid-pink)
  • 'Major'[6] (scarlet)
  • 'Sunrise'[7] (salmon pink)
  • 'Wilfred H. Bryant'[8] (blush pink)

See also

References
  1. "Hesperantha coccinea". www.rhs.org. Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  2. Harrison, Lorraine (2012). RHS Latin for Gardeners. United Kingdom: Mitchell Beazley. ISBN 184533731X.
  3. Huxley, A., ed. (1992), New RHS Dictionary of Gardening, London: Macmillan, ISBN 978-0-333-77018-4
  4. "AGM Plants - Ornamental" (PDF). www.rhs.org. Royal Horticultural Society. July 2017. p. 48. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
  5. "RHS Plant Selector - Hesperantha coccinea 'Jennifer'". www.rhs.org. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
  6. "RHS Plant Selector - Hesperantha coccinea 'Major'". www.rhs.org. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
  7. "RHS Plant Selector - Hesperantha coccinea 'Sunrise'". www.rhs.org. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
  8. "Hesperantha coccinea 'Wilfred H. Bryant'". www.rhs.org. Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved 18 August 2020.


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