Hesperantha coccineus

Native to eastern South Africa (Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo and Mpumalanga) as well as Lesotho, Swaziland and Zimbabwe, Hesperantha coccinea — long known as Schizostylis coccinea — is an Iridaceae with a rhizomatous rather than bulbous rootstock, growing naturally in waterlogged soil on stream banks in full sun. It forms clumps of narrow, elongated leaves on stems reaching 40 to 60 cm. From late summer into autumn it bears, in spikes of four to ten, star-shaped scarlet flowers, occasionally pink or white. Deciduous and summer-growing, it thrives in compost-enriched soil with constant moisture.