Photo of Hermanus Cliff Lily by Ronnie Hazell
The Hermanus Cliff Path vegetation is not fynbos, but coastal scrub. The iconic Hermanus Cliff Lily (Gladiolus carmineus) grows there. Proteas, pincushions, restios and aloes do not occur there naturally and it is illegal to introduce them. A major threat to the natural vegetation on the Path is invasion by garden plants that have ‘escaped’ from nearby gardens or have been planted by well-meaning but uninformed gardeners. It is also a no-no to dump garden refuse on the cliff path. It contains alien seeds that infest the nature reserve. Examples of the most invasive aliens of this sort are nasturtiums, statice, lavetera, Kikuyu grass and bridal wreath. Anyone wishing to help to eradicate these plants can join the cliff path hacking events when they are advertised.