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Cape Cowslip Wikimedia Commons
Asparagaceae

Cape Cowslip

Lachenalia aloides

Resilience in winter.

Family
Asparagaceae
Genus
Lachenalia
Native to
South Africa
Bloom season
Winter, Spring
Type
bulb
Height
0.5-1 ft
Sunlight
full sun
Soil
well-drained sandy soil
Water
moderate
Hardiness
9-11
Lifespan
perennial

Did you know

  • Cape cowslips are one of the few bulbs that bloom prolifically during the winter months in the Southern Hemisphere.
  • The genus Lachenalia is named after Werner de Lachenal, an 18th-century Swiss botanist from Basel.
  • There are over 100 species of Lachenalia, almost all endemic to the Western Cape of South Africa.
  • Cape cowslips are pollinated by sunbirds, which are attracted to the tubular, nectar-rich flowers.
  • The spotted leaves of some varieties were once thought to resemble snake skin, earning them folk names related to serpents.

Color meanings

0

perseverance

1

cheerfulness

Uses

  • ornamental container plant
  • rock garden accent