San Diego Botanic Garden

Boophone haemanthoides | Namaqua century plant

These bright pink flowers belong to Boophone haemanthoides, an unusual plant native to South Africa and Namibia. While its vibrant flower head is the first thing you'll notice, much of the plant's oversized bulb sits above the soil. As a geophyte, that bulb stores the water and energy it needs to thrive. Its fan-shaped leaves grow in two opposite rows before dying back in early summer. After the leaves have died back, the dense flower head emerges from the center of the bulb from early to mid-summer.

Planted in the Garden in 2016, this remarkable specimen belongs to Boophone, a small genus in the Amaryllis family with only two confirmed species.

📍 Blooming now in the Desert Garden

Jatropha multifida | Coralbush

Brightening up the entrance to the Mexican Garden, coralbush is impossible to miss. It's easy to see how its brilliant red flower clusters got their name, with their striking resemblance to ocean coral. Each large leaf contains 7–11 lobes, giving the plant an interesting, sculptural look. The coralbush is native to Mexico.

⚠️ All parts of the plant contain a toxic milky sap

While you're here, continue your journey through the Mexican Garden and discover the incredible diversity of Mexico's flora, from agaves and salvias to ancient cycads.

📍 Blooming now at the entrance to the Mexican Garden