Botanical nomenclature: xerophyta retinervis
Common name: black lily, black desert lily
Family: velloziaceae
Origin: africa
Height: 1,50 - 1,80 meters
Luminosity: full sun, partial shading
Climate: see description


Fascinating plant, perenial, very rare in cultivation, with up to 2 meters of height, of effective cause, thoroughly covered with fiber leaves and intensely aromatic flowering that generally occurs after fire or rain.

The species are tolerant to extreme conditions, like dry, fire and low temperatures.

There are about 50 species in this gender and nine occurs in south africa. The species are very diffused in all regions of seasonally intense rains, generally occurring on rocky flames.

The engraved coloring occurs in the cold months of the year, winter, but at the beginning of the spring and in the months of summer, they are totally covered by a mass of flowers in the pink-malva coloring; a memorable vision and of great landscape appeal, a true coringe in our gardens ..

One of the most remarkable features is that they are able to survive for a long period without water. Once xerophyta retinervis is dry in the air, they can stay roads during prolonged periods and, generally in their origin habitat, the winter season and dry hard in average 5 to 6 months. When it rains again, the plants rehydrate completely and, really, return their full metabolic functions in the period of 24 to 72 hours.

The species was very exploited as a base for orchid planting.

It is certainly a fascinating addition to any collection, a magnified exemplary and with single characteristics for planting highlights in our gardens.