Plants
Flame Lily
Gloriosa superba · Colchicaceae
The flame lily is pure exotica: a dainty climber that pulls itself up by leaf tendrils and carries blooms like flickering flames — swept-back, waved petals in red and yellow above widely spread stamens. Here it can be grown from a tuber as a patio container plant. As spectacular as it is, one thing must be said just as clearly: the entire plant is highly poisonous.
- Light
- Bright and warm; full morning and evening sun, shelter from harsh midday heat.
- Watering
- Evenly moist during growth; completely dry during winter dormancy.
- Care level
- Demanding
- Botanical
- Gloriosa superba
Despite the English name flame lily, the glory lily is no true lily: it belongs to the Colchicaceae family, making it a relative of the autumn crocus — including its poison colchicine. The best-known selection is „Rothschildiana“ with carmine-red, yellow-edged blooms.
As a climber it uses a pretty trick: the leaf tips are extended into tendrils with which it grips thin canes, strings or neighbouring plants. It manages one and a half to two metres in a season — so a delicate support frame belongs in the pot from the start.
Cultivation resembles that of dahlias: the elongated tubers are started indoors from March and moved after the last frosts to a warm, bright spot — morning and afternoon sun, but shelter from harsh midday heat behind glass. Flowering here runs from June to September.
In autumn the plant dies back completely. Watering is then stopped, the tuber overwintered dry in its pot or in sand at ten to fifteen degrees, and repotted fresh in spring. The most common mistake is winter rot from damp substrate — the dormancy really must be dry. Take care when repotting too: the brittle tubers snap easily, and gloves are mandatory because of the poison.
In wedding and event floristry gloriosa is a star as a cut flower: single blooms work like small fireworks in bridal bouquets and modern arrangements and last a good week in the vase. In pet households, however, the plant has no place — even small amounts can be life-threatening to cats and dogs, and the vase water too must be kept out of reach.
Is Flame Lily toxic to children and pets?
- Children
- Highly toxic
- Cats
- Highly toxic
- Dogs
- Highly toxic
The flame lily contains colchicine in all parts, most concentrated in the tuber. It is life-threatening to cats, dogs and children; even small amounts can be fatal. Vase water from cut stems is also off-limits. If ingestion is suspected, call poison control or a vet immediately.
Typical symptoms: Often only after hours: burning in the mouth, violent vomiting, bloody diarrhoea, circulatory and organ failure — any suspected ingestion is an emergency.
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
- 01Start tubers indoors from March at around 20 degrees, laid horizontally about five centimetres deep.
- 02Choose a warm, bright spot without harsh midday sun; move outdoors from mid-May.
- 03Provide a fine climbing frame — the plant grips with its leaf tendrils.
- 04Keep evenly moist during growth and feed every two weeks.
- 05After the autumn die-back, overwinter dry at ten to fifteen degrees.
- 06Always work with gloves and keep the plant out of reach of animals and children.
Frequently asked
- Is the flame lily winter-hardy?
- No, as a tropical plant it tolerates no frost. After the autumn die-back the tuber is overwintered dry and frost-free at ten to fifteen degrees and restarted in spring — much like a dahlia.
- How poisonous is gloriosa really?
- Very — it contains the same cell toxin colchicine as the autumn crocus, for which there is no antidote. Even small amounts can be life-threatening to children and pets. If you have animals, forgo both plant and cut flower; everyone else should work with gloves.
- Why is my flame lily not flowering?
- Usually warmth or light is lacking: the plant needs a bright spot with temperatures around twenty degrees and even water and nutrient supply during growth. Tubers started too late or damaged during repotting also often skip flowering in the first year.
- Does gloriosa work as a cut flower?
- Yes, superbly — in high-end wedding and event floristry it is among the most sought-after exotics and lasts about a week in the vase. Because of its toxicity: not for households with nibbling cats, and dispose of the vase water safely.