Drimia sanguinea

No ethnobotanical data added yet. Help us by writing one.

Common products:
Ornamental horticulture is the primary non‑medicinal use. Live plants and tunicated bulbs of Drimia sanguinea are sold by specialist succulent and bulb nurseries. Plants are grown for rock‑garden, container, and landscape displays, and the bright scarlet racemes are occasionally cut for floral arrangements. It is also valued in xeriscapes because its water‑efficient bulbs and foliage reduce irrigation needs. Flowering occurs from late winter to early spring, providing a striking seasonal color in temperate gardens.

Properties relevant to use:
The species forms large, storage‑rich bulbs that survive dormancy and facilitate propagation and transport. Its terminal racemes bear numerous tubular flowers whose deep scarlet coloration derives from anthocyanin pigments, providing a strong ornamental appeal. Leaves are linear and evergreen, offering year‑round foliage value. Bulbs typically range from 2 to 5 cm in diameter, making handling and potting straightforward. Petals contain cyanidin‑based anthocyanins that yield vivid coloration stable under light exposure.

Standards and regulation:
Trade in live bulbs and plants is governed by the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) phytosanitary standards, which require inspection and certification for import and export. In the European Union, Regulation (EU) 2016/2031 mandates phytosanitary certificates for bulb consignments, with equivalent requirements in many national plant health authorities. Drimia sanguinea is not listed in CITES appendices, so no additional CITES export permits are needed. Phytosanitary certification follows the International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPM) No. 12 on plant health certificates. Importing countries commonly require a declaration that the consignment is free of soil, as part of phytosanitary import conditions.

Sustainability and sourcing:
The South African National Red List classifies D. sanguinea as “Least Concern,” and the IUCN Red List does not treat it as threatened; however, its distribution is localized and populations are modest. Commercial supply is primarily derived from cultivated propagation by horticultural growers; there is no evidence of large‑scale wild harvest for the ornamental trade. Ongoing monitoring by the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) tracks population trends and enforces compliance with the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act for any wild collection. Horticultural societies promote seed exchange programs to reduce reliance on wild material. Regulations under the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act provide a permitting framework for any permitted wild collection, although most trade is through cultivated stock.

No common names added yet.

No subspecies added yet.

No variety added yet.

No subvariety added yet.

No forms added yet.

No germination or propagation data was added yet.

No reference genome is available on NCBI yet. We are constantly monitoring for new data.

No known contributors. Be the first!

In private collections	0
In public collections	0

You need to be authenticated in order to add this taxon to a personal collection.