Botanical name

Haemanthus sanguineus

Family

Amaryllidaceae

Common Name

April Fool, Paintbrush, Veldskoenblaar
Haemanthus sanguineus
Haemanthus sanguineus
Haemanthus sanguineus
Haemanthus sanguineus
Haemanthus sanguineus
Haemanthus sanguineus

Description

Sturdy, bulbous geophyte up to 30cm; stem unspeckled. Leaves 2, appear after flowering, leathery, broad, often outlined in red, pressed flat on the ground (like the soles of a shoe); stout, reddish flowering stem, often slightly compressed, bears a paint-brush-like dense flowerhead of red to orange flowers surrounded by large, red bracts; fruits large, round, red.

Greek: haem- = blood; anthos = flower: referring to colour of flower.

Latin: sanguis = blood; -ineus = indicates colour: referring to blood-red colour of flower.

Habitat

Sandy, loamy slopes

Flower Date

January to April, abundantly after fire