Page 14 - aug20

indigenous

Lilies

Until I started researching our various
indigenous plants, I had no idea there were so
many lilies that grow in Botswana. Pancratium
tenuifolium flowers pop up after rain in Maun;
and a visit to Khutse around February-March
will show fields of pink and white Nerine
laticoma flowers. Villages surrounding the
Gaborone area have clay soils that become
congested with Crinums (bottom right) in the
rainy season. Not to mention the red
Ammocharis coranica balls (bottom left) that line
our roadsides.
Boophone disticha flowers produce tumbleweeds
that fly through the bush in the Kalahari.
And Ornithogalum seineri, Drimia sanguinea, and
Drimia altissima (top right) produce gorgeous
white flowers that are incredible to see.
So there is no excuse for the Botswana
gardener, we have indigenous lilies in every
colour that flower in every season,
including the dark burgundy Ornithoglossum
vulgare (right) that flowers in winter.
Text & Photos: by S C

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