Watsonia sp de Hoope

The precise species of this Watsonia (labelled 'De Hoop', after the De Hoop Nature Reserve region in South Africa's Western Cape) could not be confirmed; the description is therefore given at genus level. Watsonia comprises some fifty cormous plants in the Iridaceae family, native to fynbos and calcareous coastal grassland of the Cape. A tuft of sword-shaped leaves supports a tall stem bearing a spike of funnel-shaped tubular flowers, pink, orange or red depending on the species, in late spring or summer. It requires sun, well-drained soil, and dry summer dormancy of the corm.