Chasmanthe BB spp1

Chasmanthe is a South African genus of the Iridaceae family comprising three species (C. aethiopica, C. bicolor and C. floribunda), endemic to the Cape, growing at the margins of fynbos and forest. The precise species of this accession (BB spp1) has not been identified with certainty. Chasmanthe plants grow from a corm and produce a clump of narrow, sword-shaped leaves in two ranks. In winter and spring, sturdy spikes bear tubular orange to red flowers aligned in two neat rows, pollinated in the wild by sunbirds. It requires well-drained soil, full sun, and a dry summer dormancy.