Clinging Spearflower

This short flower grows up to 3 inches (8 cm) tall. Its burgundy stem is very thick and straight, and the small, brown leaves are spear shaped with toothed edges. The leaves alternate on the stem from the base up to about halfway.

A single medium-sized flower sits at the end of the stem. The flowers are 3 cm (1.2 inches) wide, with petals that are blood red on the underside and pastel orange on the top. The flower head is largely flat with 60 raised narrow petals. They are very delicate.

It has a weak scent that smells like lemon, and it has a modest amount of pollen; it can cause allergic reactions. It is pollinated by a small species of bird, but is also particularly attractive to insects.