The Amazing Flowers of Africa: A Guide to the Best of Them
Welcome to the amazing flowers of Africa!
There are a lot of spectacular things that come to mind when the subject of Africa comes up. The flowers of Africa aren’t always among them, but they are favourites of mine.
Of the over 50,000 different plant species that can be found throughout Africa, more than 90% are flowering. And as you’ll see below, so many of them are just insanely beautiful.
They’re stunning to see growing in the wild, especially en masse like in the flower fields of Namaqualand. One of my favourite sitings was the Livingstone Daisies along the banks of the beaches in South Africa’s St. Lucia.
If there’s any gardener in your soul, or if you just enjoy the beauty of nature, you’ll love Africa’s flowers. Here I’ll introduce you to a few of the more famous – and spectacular – ones.
Flowers of Africa and Their Meanings
King Protea (Protea cynaroides)
The King Protea is a flower you’ll never forget. These giants can grow as tall as 2 metres high, and the flower heads can be as wide as 30cm. They’re not much for a flowery scent, but wow.
They’re stunning and are actually the national flowers of South Africa, where this picture was taken. These beautiful African flowers were named for the Greek deity Proteus, one of the prophetic “old men of the sea”.
Proteus was a shapeshifter. It was seen as a fitting comparison, as the Proteus flower family, with 1500 species, takes many forms.
In the local traditions of South Africa, these protea can represent change and hope, or diversity and courage. This is attributed to the resilience of this plant, and its ability to withstand extreme climate changes.
Livingstone Daisy (Dorotheanthus bellidiformis)
Livingstone Daisies are little succulents that are also known as Ice Plants.
They got the name from the way the wee little hairs on the plants reflect light.
This reflection looks like bits of ice.
They’re flowers native to Africa, from the Cape Peninsula of South Africa.
But they can be grown anywhere with full sun and sandy, well-drained soil. You can see them in the Cape of South Africa growing en masse near beaches and in mass plantings in flower beds.
Ice Plants are thought by some to symbolize good fortune and good luck. They come in white, pink or red, but the ones above are the ones I see most often.
Pincushion Flower (Leucospermum species)
Pincushion flowers can be found in a few African countries.
See them in Swaziland, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe, as well as South Africa.
They’re sometimes called Pincushion Proteas, as they’re related to the proteas, the first on this list.
They’re pretty hardy, and you’ll see them growing in rocky, mountainous areas.
They can survive temperatures as cold as -40ºC, so most people would be able to grow a little Eastern Africa in their own gardens.
The gorgeous African flowers have more than their looks going for them. They actually symbolize strength and enthusiasm.
Impala Lily (Adenium multiflorum)
This pretty little flower is also known as the Desert Rose and as the Sabi Star.
They grow in the tropical parts of southern Africa.
They can be grown in warm parts of other places, and are actually often grown indoors as bonsai plants.
The Impala Lily produces a milky latex that bushmen use to poison the ends of their arrows, and as a fish-stunning poison.
The prettiest ones always seem to be a little bit dangerous.
They are a symbol of resilience and strength in hard times, and represent culture and pride to the Ghanaian people.
Paintbrush Lily (Scadoxus puniceus)
These unusual blossoms grow in eastern and southern Africa, especially Namibia and South Africa. They’re not common flowers, though.
The bulbous plant is also called a Snake Lily, and is a succulent that blooms in the late summer.
Traditionally, the bulbs were used to treat everything from coughs to leprosy. It was even consumed by pregnant women along with herbs to ensure a safe labour.
Ingest enough of the bulb or the pollen, though, and it’s poisonous, so maybe don’t try this one at home.
“Doxus” in the name Scadoxus, means glory or splendour, and puniceus refers to the colour. Typically red or purple.
African Daisy (Osteospermum)
When we grow them in North America, these are considered tender perennials.
In their native South Africa, they’re tough enough to survive the hot, dry climate.
Called Osteospermum by flower experts, the African Daisy symbolizes purity and innocence.
The Osteospermum native to Africa is this pearly white colour. The stark contrast of the purpley-blue centre with the bits of yellow is what makes it special.
However, hybridization has produced a variety of colours. You can now get plants in yellow, orange, purple and red. The white ones are still my favourite.
The African daisy is actually part of the daisy and sunflower family, Calenduleae, which has over 50 members.
The family is still growing, with new species still being discovered.
Yellow Clivia (Clivia miniata)
Another native of South Africa, as well as eSwatini, these are also called Yellow Bush Lillies. The tiny flowers of the South African natives have the look of amaryllis to them.
Like the many flowers, they have traditional medicinal uses. The rhizomes are quite toxic but are used in small amounts to treat stomachaches and to help with birth pains.
Clivia is thought to symbolize good fortune and single-mindedness, as well as courage in the face of misfortune.
Michaelmas Daisy (Aster species)
These little blooms are also called by the very dull name of Fall Asters.
They were given the name Michaelmas Daisy because of their blooming period.
They bloom around the feast of St. Michael, or Michaelmas, at the end of September.
Michaelmas Daisies are actually native to Europe, but they grow beautifully in the South African climate. It’s become their second home and can be seen anywhere.
They were traditionally given to symbolize farewell or departure.
They’re a great addition to a North American flower bed. The little flowers add a pretty bit of colour in the fall, especially when planted in large clumps.
Uitenhage aloe (Aloe Africana)
I had never realized that aloe plants flowered until I saw them in Africa. The aloes we’re used to seeing in North America are Aloe Vera. We can sometimes get these to bloom if we can give them full sun.
They also need temperatures between 20º and 30ºC during the day, and 15ºC or warmer at night. A tree-like species, the Africana can grow as tall as 1.8 m tall, with leaves about 60 cm long.
Our Aloe Vera is well-known for a variety of medicinal uses. While this isn’t true of all aloe species, the Uitenhage contains anthraquinones. While it can be used for their laxative effect, they may also cause colorectal cancer.
Some aloes have other poisonous, as well. Don’t ingest any aloe or put it on your skin unless you know for sure what kind it is.
The beautiful Aloe Africana doesn’t need to be useful for anything but looking at.
Summing It Up: The Amazing Flowers of Africa
This is obviously just a very tiny sample of Africa’s flowers. And of all the species that grow across the continent, at least 70% don’t grow wild anywhere else in the world.
Flowers can be seen just about anywhere in the world. But if you’d like to thoroughly explore them, visit Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens near Cape Town.
It has an astounding collection of flowers and plants. Keep in mind that one day may not be enough to see them all, but any time here is better than none at all.
I also recommend a visit to northwestern South Africa between the middle of August and the middle of September. Drive up to Namaqualand National Park, and then drive south with the sun. This way you’ll catch the best of the most famous flower route there is.
Happy Travels!
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• 20 Photos to Inspire You to Visit Namibia
• Photos to Inspire You to Visit Botswana
• 30 Photos to Inspire You to Visit South Africa
• 18 Best Africa Countries to Visit in 20242
