Gloriosa superba is a striking plant, and the only climbing lily in existence.
The leaves of Gloriosa Lily (Gloriosa superba) have little hooks at the tips that aid the plant in scrambling over hedges and fences. The tubers multiply underground, and the plant can be considered invasive in some areas.
The plant's truly glorious blooms belie the hazards it poses: All parts contain colchicine and are highly toxic. Birds and animals have died from eating the leaves, and consuming the tubers has been used as a way of committing suicide.
But let’s concentrate on the beautiful flowers: mostly red (although there is also a yellow form) with golden and green highlights, and with a truly unique shape unlike any other lily. The common name of "Flame Lily" certainly refers to its appearance as a ball of fire in the surrounding pale green foliage.
It likes a climate with wet summers and dry winters and is therefore perfectly at home in Southwest Florida, although it originally came from Africa and Asia. I first saw it used as a houseplant in my native Holland.
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