Flower Library
Cape Cowslip
Lachenalia · Asparagaceae
Lachenalia, known as Cape cowslip, is a small treasure for the winter months: upright stems with tubular bells, often tinted in two or three colours at once. It resembles a dainty hyacinth but looks more exotic and modern. It appears with us from December into spring — we pick it up at the Veiling Rhein-Maas as soon as the first lots arrive in good quality.
- Season
- December – January – February – March – April
- Vase life
- 7–12 days
- Latin name
- Lachenalia
- Colors
- Yellow, Orange, Red, Blue-violet, Greenish (multi-tinted)
The genus holds well over a hundred species, but the trade is dominated by hybrids of the African Beauty series such as „Namakwa“ and „Ronina“, alongside the classic Lachenalia aloides with its yellow-orange-red tubes. Typical are the often purple-speckled stems and the multi-coloured bells.
As a winter grower, lachenalia works differently from our native bulbs: in South Africa it grows during the cool rainy season and rests through the hot summer. For the vase this means it loves cool spots and opens and fades noticeably faster in warm, dry rooms.
In floristry it is a flower for small, fine formats: winter posies with tulips and daffodils, dainty vases on the windowsill, or a special accent among ranunculus. Its compact height of around 20 to 30 centimetres sets the scale — in large bouquets it gets lost.
Fresh stems show only the lower bells open while the upper ones still sit firmly closed. The flowers then open on in the vase, revealing their colour gradient in full only bit by bit.
A typical mistake is placing it right above a radiator: there the flower rushes through within days. Kept cool — in the hallway or on a cold windowsill — the Cape cowslip lasts a good week and a half and keeps its rich colour.
Is Cape Cowslip toxic to children and pets?
- Children
- Mildly irritating
- Cats
- Mildly irritating
- Dogs
- Mildly irritating
There is little toxicological data on lachenalia. As a bulb plant related to the hyacinth, keep it away from cats, dogs and small children as a precaution — the bulbs are considered the most concerning part.
Typical symptoms: After nibbling, drooling, stomach irritation, vomiting or diarrhoea are possible.
In an emergency:call the German poison control centre in Bonn on +49 228 19240 (24/7) — for pets, contact an emergency vet directly. This information does not replace medical or veterinary advice.
Overview: toxic & non-toxic plants for cats, dogs and children
Care
- 01Give the stems a short fresh cut and place them in a little cold, clean water.
- 02Position as cool as possible — a cold windowsill noticeably extends flowering.
- 03Keep away from radiators and out of direct sun.
- 04Change the water every two days; the soft stems dislike stale water.
- 05Carefully pluck off spent lower bells; the upper ones open on.
- 06Arrange in small, stable vases — the short stems need support.
Frequently asked
- When can you get lachenalia from the florist?
- The season runs through the winter months, roughly December to April, peaking in January and February. That makes it one of the few true winter bloomers, filling the gap before the big spring crops arrive.
- Is lachenalia related to the hyacinth?
- Yes, both belong to the same subfamily within the Asparagaceae, hence the German name Cape hyacinth. Lachenalia, however, is daintier, usually multi-coloured and much more lightly scented than the classic hyacinth.
- Is the Cape cowslip toxic to pets?
- There is little reliable data on lachenalia. As a bulb plant from the hyacinth family it is best treated as mildly toxic to be safe: keep it out of reach of cats, dogs and small children, especially the bulbs of potted plants.
- How long does lachenalia last in the vase?
- In a cool spot seven to twelve days, because the bells along the stem open in sequence. In warm rooms right by the radiator this shortens to a few days — temperature is the biggest lever with this winter flower.