Midlands Wildflower for October – Cyrtanthus contractus

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Common name: Fire Lily, Zulu name: impingizana

cyrtanthus contractus RES

Cyrtanthus contractus bursts into flower a few weeks after late winter fires, creating brilliant red splashes in the still-blackened veld. The large bulb produces a scarlet inflorescence with up to 10 tubular, hanging flowers which can be up to 8cm long, curved open at the mouth. The stems are mauve or sometimes red and the leaves only appear after flowering.

They are common on road verges where they are protected from cattle damage. While you may be tempted, don’t dig them up on the side of the road. Besides being illegal to do this, they do not grow well in cultivation and seldom survive. Simply admire and enjoy them in their natural habitat.

Cyrtanthus belongs to the family Amaryllidaceae and about 60 different species are found all over South Africa.  Commonly known garden varieties are the George Lily and the Ifafa Lily, both very rewarding.  Traditionally, bulb infusions are used as sprinkling charms against storms and evil.  Children use the hollow stems as whistles.

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About Midlands Conservancies Forum

Welcome to the Midlands Conservancies Forum Blog. The conservancy movement in South Africa has its roots in KZN Midlands with Balgowan being the first conservancy established in 1978 by landowners in the area who were concerned about the reduction in the number of game and general degradation of the environment. Today there are 14 conservancies within or overlapping the Umgeni Local Municipality. In keeping pace with international environmental issues and the ever-increasing threat to our dwindling biodiversity the conservancy movement has expanded its influence to include challenges way beyond the founding concerns for the reduction in game and general degradation of the environment. The fact of the matter is that, at the very least, the state of the environment in the KZN Midlands is of vitally and direct importance to well in excess of 3 million people who depend largely on this region for their fresh water. In terms of global the planet has 34 biodiversity hotspots which are the Earth’s most biologically rich and threatened areas. These hotspots hold especially high numbers of unique species, yet their combined area now covers only 2.3 percent of the Earth's land surface. South Africa is home to 3 of the 34 global biodiversity hotspots and the Midlands not only falls into the Maputaland-Pondoland-Albany hotspot but is one of the 21 priority nodes that have been identified by the Critical Ecosystems Partnership Fund for investment aimed at securing existing biodiversity. The Midlands Conservancy Forum is proud to have been awarded a two year grant that has been used to establish the MCF Biodiversity Stewardship project that is working closely with KZN Wildlife. The reality of the Conservancy movement is that it has until know been championed by volunteers who are landowners and, in many cases, have precious little time and therefore this needs to be used to the maximum potential. This has lead to the establishment, and current success, of the MCF. It is an ideal forum to share knowledge, experiences and collectively tackle common issues in the most co-0rdinated and effective way possible. It is also a forum that has the capacity, through its landowner support base, geographical influence and biological inventory, to attract funding for critical environmental projects. It is also a forum for any and all government departments, NGOs and industries to engage with environmentally minded landowners. Through this blog we hope to promote the aims of the MCF in general and the sharing of information in particular. It is your platform to express and respond to ideas and concerns. Please use it wisely and respectfully!

6 thoughts on “Midlands Wildflower for October – Cyrtanthus contractus”

  2. ukznbg2013

    Hi Nikki. This fire lily is Cyrtanthus brachyscyphus. Cyrtanthus contractus, which is common around Pmburg after fires has a more orange flower tube which flares open at the end. This picture shows a flower with a more reddish tube that doesn’t flare out so dramatically. Despite the map in the book it does occur in the Midlands and I have also seen it on Beacon Hill. Cyrtanthus brachyscyphus also flowers a little later than contractus. Beautiful photo.
    Cheers, Alison

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  3. Peter. R. Warren

    The Cyrtanthus are very hard for me. C. brachyscyphus is only known from Northern KZN, short tubes near water and on rock ledges a/c to Polley. Does not seem to fit. C. contractus, on the other hand, has very flared lobes in Pooley’s picture. So I cannot rule out C. tuckii transvaalensis which has narrower lobes but red tips . No iSpot observations of C. contractus. Needs more research. I await an opinion of someone who knows more that I do.

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  4. Mary-Joye

    Oh wow, at long last I know what these lilies are called. They grow in abundance here in the Newcastle veld and often see thembthis time of the year when im out walking my dogs. They are blooming now. I’ve longed to know what they are called, now I know.
    Thanks so much.
    Regards Mary-Joye Louw

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