Hesperantha sp.
The River Lily is a much-loved plant in gardens the world over, but it grows wild here in saturated soil along the mountain streams of South Africa’s Drakensberg Range. These bulbous plants stand about 50cm high, grow and flower in full sun during summer with the beautiful blooms being carried from December to April. Apart from the pink form shown here there’s also white and bright red varieties growing wild, while cultivated forms with much wider petals than the wild forms are normally sold at nurseries. The flowers are pollinated by butterflies and flies, and the whole plant goes dormant in winter.
River Lilies
Beautiful wildflowers at Golden Gate: River Lilies
River Lily
River Lily
River Lily
River Lily
River Lily
River Lily
River Lily
River Lily
River Lily
River Lily
River Lily
River Lily
River Lily
River Lily
Red River Lilies
DeWetsWild 
How lovely to have seen them flowering so prolifically. Your photos capture them so well.
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Thanks again, Carol. Indeed, they seemed to be everywhere there was flowing water at Golden Gate and Royal Natal.
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Beautiful plant and flowers! You have captured it really well.
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Very kind of you, thanks Hien!
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What a delightful color!
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Very showy surrounded by the greenery of the Drakensberg!
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Oh wow! There were some of these growing semi-wild in a previous property that we owned in the south of NZ. I liked them but didn’t know much about them.. and now I get to see them growing wild.. awesome!
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That’s wonderful, Liz! Glad we could help lift the veil a little!
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Soooo mooi!
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Hulle is pragtig ne!
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These are beautiful 😍
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Certainly very eye-catching!
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Ai, dis darem pragtig!
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Soveel so dat selfs kleurblinde ek hulle nie kon miskyk nie!
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How lovely to see these flowers again!
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They were really noticeable this late summer – more so than on any previous visits we made to the ‘Berg.
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Ahh, lovely.
janet
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Aren’t they just, Janet!?
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Such a delicate looking flower. But hardy!
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A perfect summation, Lois!
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