Doryanthes excelsa Corrêa

A large lily. It forms a large tussock. It grows 1-1.5 m high and spreads 2-3 m across. The leaves are long and broad and spear like. They are thick and bright green. They are 1.5 m long and 10 cm wide. The flowers are large and dark red. They occur in dense heads at the end of the plant. These are about 30 cm across. They are on very tall flowering stems up to 5 m tall. Each flower has 6 narrow segments 10 cm long and fused at the base. They are surrounded by deep red bracts. The fruit is a dry capsule. It is 20 cm long. The seeds are winged and reddish-brown.

Temperate. It can grow in the tropics. It grows in sandstone areas. It occurs in light open forest. It needs well drained soils. It can grow in full sun or light shade. It can survive drought. Adelaide Botanical Gardens. It suits hardiness zones 9-11.

The stems are cut 30 cm long and roasted. The roots are also roasted and made into a cake.

It can be grown from seed or by division of the clump.