Flame Lily, Gloriosa superba (Red, Yellow) – Bulbs (set of 10)

The showy, solitary flowers appear from mid-summer to fall on pedicels (flower stalks) up to 7½ inches long in the leaf axils. Most types have nodding flowers but some varieties arch upward when they open.

Each single flower has six widely separated, reflexed (bent backwards so that they are pointing upwards) tepals (three petals and three sepals 2-3 inches long which all appear similar), six long outward-spreading stamens (up to 1½ inches long) with large yellow anthers, and a prominent trifurcate style up to 2 inches long bent sharply outwards from the point of attachment to the green ovary.

The tepals are most often bright red to orange, sometimes with yellowish bases but may also be cream, yellow, purple-red or bicolor. Often the colors deepen with age. The tepal margins may be very wavy or curling. In their native habitat flowers are likely pollinated by butterflies and sunbirds. Pollinated flowers are followed by large, fleshy, oblong fruits (leathery, 3-valved capsules containing about 20 rounded red seeds) 2 to 4½ inches long.