Did You Know

Photo of cliff lily Anina Lee

It’s autumn in Hermanus, the best time to see the lovely carmine cliff lily – Gladiolus carmineus. It only grows on the Hermanus cliffs – from Eastcliff to Westcliff – and is classified as vulnerable because of its restricted distribution. Protecting this endemic lily is one of the many good reasons why the Cliff Path has been incorporated into the Fernkloof Nature Reserve. The cliff lily is pollinated by a beautiful brown butterfly, the Table Mountain Pride butterfly (Aeropetes tulbaghia) that’s attracted to the many red or pink flowers that bloom in late summer.

Photo credit Mountain Pride butterfly Colin Paterson-Jones ©]