Hypoxis, African Star (Hypoxis hemerocallidea), 20 seed packet, organic

Family:  Star Lily (Hypoxidaceae)

Hardy to Zones 9 to 12, otherwise grown as a potted plant and brought indoors for the winter

(Hypoxis rooperi, Miracle Muti, Wonder Potato, Star Flower, Yellow Star, African Star Lily, African Potato, Sterblom, Gifbol, Moli Kharatsa, Lotsame, !Nkomfe)  Herbaceous perennial corm-producing geophytic monocot requiring dry soil for overwintering, native to the grasslands of South Africa.  Plant prefers full sun and dry soils of open garden or rockery.  Potted plants perform admirably well in a greenhouse situation or on a bright windowsill.  They are soft, comely and flower frequently.  Traditional usage (South African tribes): tumors, compromised immune system, urinary tract infection, testicular cancer, benign prostatic hypertrophy (bph), urinary tract infection (uti), and as a laxative and vermifuge.  The corms can grow as large as a human fist, and when cut apart they ooze a bright yellow sap that oxidizes to black.  I first observed this after digging a root in the highlands of Africa (where the corm photo was taken).  The soft and densely pubescent straplike leaves arise in spring from the perennial corm and soon produce the large, bright yellow flowers.  As a grassland plant, Hypoxis is very tough, tolerant of drought and fire.  The seeds are stimulated to germinate by fire, and are given room to germinate and grow when fires knock back the grasses.  This is the most widely used of all South African “Muti,” or traditional herbal remedies.  As such, it has been extirpated in many locations and herbalists have a hard time finding the plant.  Sow seeds just below surface and keep warm and evenly moist until germination.  Fire treatment may improve germ.

20 seeds per packet, Certified Organically Grown