A New Zealand cliff-dwelling perennial called the Poor Knights lily, famous for spectacular toothbrush-like red flower spikes after long dry summers.
Description
Xeronema forms a fan of stiff sword-shaped leaves rising from a rhizome. After a long dry winter it produces a unique flower spike held horizontally, lined with brilliant red stamens like a toothbrush.
Cultivation
Endemic to two tiny New Zealand island groups, xeronema grows on rocky cliffs and needs sharp drainage, full sun, and a long dry summer to flower. It performs best in containers in temperate gardens.
Uses
A prized collector plant and a national treasure in New Zealand, xeronema appears at major flower shows where its rare horizontal blooms always cause a stir.
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Xeronema starts with X and ends with A. Browse other plants along the same letter.
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