Haemanthus coccineus 

During February and March, people always share comments and photographs on social media of the bright red flowers of the “April Fool” or “Paintbrush”. (Afr. poeierkwas). Many ask: “What are these weird and beautiful flowers?” 

When the flowers push out of the sandy soil on greenish stems with brown spots, they have no leaves, but as the flowers wither, long, tongue-like leaves appear. Sometimes the leaves lie flat, or sometimes they stand up, depending where they grow. 

The flowers are followed by fleshy, translucent berries, white to red in colour. These berries carry the seeds. 

Haemanthus have rather large bulbs. The leaves start dying from about October and the bulbs lie dormant during summer. 

Both the leaves and the bulbs are used in traditional remedies. Fresh leaves are applied to septic ulcers and sores. A diuretic is made from the bulb by boiling it in vinegar and mixing it with honey. Asthma can also apparently be treated with this mixture. 

Don’t try any of these remedies! The bulb contains coccinine which is an alkaloid with a known convulsive action and can be poisonous. 

Also, don’t be tempted to pick the flowers. They cause unbearable hay fever.

The photographs were taken in Rooiels Nature Reserve, on the coast and in the village.