Family: Amaryllidaceae
Boophone disticha, also known as bushman poison bulb or sore-eye flower, is a striking bulbous plant native to southern Africa. It forms a large, rounded bulb partly above the ground and produces a fan of wavy, blue-green leaves arranged in a distinctive half-circle. In summer, it sends up a dramatic, spherical cluster of pink to reddish star-shaped flowers. Historically, some Indigenous groups used extracts from the bulb for traditional medicines and, with caution, in arrow poisons—reflecting the plant’s potent chemistry. Today, it is grown as an ornamental curiosity for collectors who appreciate its unusual form and bold floral display.
However, Boophone disticha is highly toxic to people and animals. Its sap can cause severe eye and skin irritation, and ingestion of any part of the plant can be dangerous. While it is not known to be invasive in Hawai‘i and has no record of naturalizing here, its powerful toxins make it a plant that must be handled carefully and kept away from pets and children. Because of its potential health hazards and specialized care requirements, it is not recommended for general landscaping and should only be grown—if at all—by experienced horticulturalists who understand the risks.
High Risk Traits:
- Able to grow in regions with tropical climates
- Bulb very poisonous to animals and people
- Geophyte
- Reproduces by seeds and can resprout from bulbs
- May have limited self-compatibility
- Seeds dispersed by wind and intentionally by people
- Tolerates fire (resprouts from bulbs)
Low Risk Traits:
- No reports of invasiveness or naturalization, but unclear how widespread it has been introduced outside native range
- Unarmed (no spines, thorns or burrs)
- Requires full sun
- Not reported to spread vegetatively
- Reaches maturity in 10+ years and does not flower every year
- Seeds recalcitrant and unlikely to form a persistent seed bank
