Hesperantha cucullata
Common name
Aandblom (Afrikaans, meaning ‘evening flower’)
Family
Iridaceae
Flora category
Vascular – Exotic
Structural class
Herbs - Monocots
Conservation status
Not applicable
Brief description
Leaves emerge from corms in late winter; flowers August-September (in NZ), 6 white tepals with the 3 outer ones pink-purple on outer surfaces (so the unopened buds are pink-purple).
Detailed description
Leaves emerge from corms in late winter; flowers August-September (in NZ), 6 white tepals with the 3 outer ones pink-purple on outer surfaces (so the unopened buds are pink-purple). Flowers open late afternoon and remain open until after dark, scented.
Flower colours
Violet/Purple, White
Fruiting
Seeds freely into lawns or gravel near planted specimens.
Year naturalised
2016
Origin
South Africa
Reason for introduction
Ornamental - sold as cut flower and as corms (I Bell, pers. comm.; sometimes sold, incorrectly, as H. baurii)
Attribution
Fact sheet prepared by Colin C Ogle, Oct 2016