One-leaf cape tulip © angusm8

​​One-leaf Cape Tulip​

​​Moraea flaccida​

Quick facts

Status
Declared Pest
Life Cycle
Perennial
Growth Form
Geophyte
Origin
Southern Africa
Flowers
Pink/orange
Dispersal
Seed, soil movement
Toxicity
Toxic to livestock

Names

Other Common Names: Cape tulip, one leaved cape tulip.

Synonyms: Homeria flaccida.

Form and function

This species typically reaches maturity within 2 to 3 years and forms a short-lived seedbank, with seeds generally remaining viable for less than 2 years. Plants usually survive fire, which can stimulate dormant corms to resprout and flower. Mature plants commonly grow 20 to 60 cm tall, although they may occasionally reach up to 75 cm in height.

One-leaf cape tulip infestation after fire © DBCA

Flowers

  • 3 to 5 cm in diameter. 
  • Flowers have six petals.  
  • Petals are 2.5 to 4 cm long.  
  • Flower colour ranges from salmon‑pink through orange to yellow.  
  • Flowers often have a yellow centre.  
  • Flowers are arranged at the tips of branches on an erect, sometimes zig‑zagged stem.  
  • Floral bracts occur at the base of each flower.  
  • Each flower has three stamens with yellow anthers and a three‑branched style.

One-leaf Cape Tulip © Geoffery Cox

Leaves

  • Each plant produces a single leaf. 
  • Long and strap‑like.  
  • Up to 1 m long and 1 to 2 cm wide.  
  • Leaves are flat, folded and ribbed.  
  • Leaves sheath the base of the stem.  
  • Attached above ground level.  
  • Leaves often droop or trail along the ground.  

One-leaf Cape Tulip © Richie Southerton

Fruits

  • Narrow and cylindrical capsules.
  • Approximately 5 cm long.  
  • Capsules are three‑valved.  
  • Green when immature and turn brown when mature.  
  • Capsules split from the tip to release seeds.  
  • Seeds are brown, irregular in shape (1 to 2 mm long).  

One-leaf cape tulip © Russell Cumming

Roots

  • Underground corm is present.  
  • Corms are about 1 to 4 cm in diameter.  
  • White with a brown fibrous covering.  
  • Corms produce 1 to 3 new corms each season.

One-leaf cape tulip corm and roots © DBCA

Habitat

Found in temperate, sub‑tropical and sometimes semi‑arid regions. Grows across a wide range of soil types. Prefers full sun and does not establish well in shaded sites. Prefers areas receiving less than 600 mm of annual rainfall. Often found in dry coastal areas, heathlands, grassy and heathy woodlands, lowland grasslands, dry sclerophyll forests and freshwater wetlands. 

May be confused with...

Two-leaf Cape Tulip flower © Chris Close

Similar non-native species:  There are several species of Moraea in WA, all weeds from southern Africa. One leaf cape tulip is most similar to two-leaf Cape tulip (Moraea miniata) however can be distinguished by having two or three large leaves and salmon pink or orange flowers with broader petals and produces cormils in leaf axils. 

 

 

Yellow flowering Cape Tulip flower © Benjamin Deschodt

There is a yellow flowering Cape tulip (Moraea ochroleuca) which has broader petals and leaves. Moraea can hybridise and therefore separating into species can be difficult. 

 

How does it spread?

​​By water, soil movement and by attaching to the feet of animals. Easily introduced into bushland via contaminated soil, paving materials or earth moving machinery and rapidly spread by soil disturbance or cultivation.​ 

Why is it a weed?

Severely impedes the growth and regeneration of native ground flora.

History

Introduced from ​​Southern Africa (Cape Province to Cape of Good Hope in South Africa)​ on several occasions as an ornamental plant in the 1840’s. By the early 1900’s it was recognised as an important weed in Western Australia.

How to control

Arum Lily

Physical

Arum Lily

Chemical

Physical

Plants can be removed by grubbing using tools like a trowel or mattock and make sure to remove the surrounding to capture any seed. After removal the seeds and corms should be destroyed by burning, or deep burial. ​Physical/mechanical control is difficult due to the dormancy of seeds and corms. 

Chemical

For small infestations spot spray with the following selective herbicides:

  1. Metsulfuron methyl 0.2 g/15 L or
  2. Chlorsulfuron 0.2 g/15 L or
  3. 2,2 DPA 80 g/15 L

Timing is important as spraying is most effective on parent corm exhaustion (late July, early August).  Adding a penetrant like Pulse is highly recommended.  Glyphosate (450g/L) may also be used at 1% w/v but this will affect surrounding plants and should only be considered if the selective herbicdes are not available or when cape tulip is a dense infestation.  A wick wiper may be more effective in controlling cape tulip with minimal off target damage.

For larger infestations:

  1. Metsulfuron methyl 2g/100L/Ha or
  2. Chlorsulfuron 2g/100L/Ha or
  3. 2,2 DPA 80g/100L/Ha

Can be applied using a handheld spray hose or boom sprayer. Some regional biosecurity groups also have tractor-mounted wick wipers available for landholders to treat cape tulip over larger areas (see Further Reading).

Further
reading

Minor use permit
external link Permit PER93063 for chlorsulfuron
external link Permit PER96570 for glyphosate
external link Permit PER96598 for metsulfuron
Control Methods
external link Peel Harvey RBG and Leaschenault RBG - Cape Tulip control

Weed Distribution Map

LSID number: [2894669] | full LSID: [https:/id.biodiversity.org.au/node/apni/2894669] | field_lsid: [] | taxon: [Stenotaphrum+secundatum]

ALA Reference

References

  • Agriculture Victoria. (2026, February 23) Cape tulip (one-leaf). Agriculture Victoria.
  • Atlas of Living Australia. (n.d.). Moraea flaccida (Sweet) Steud. Atlas of Living Australia.
  • Brown, K., & Brooks, K. J. (2003). Bushland weeds: a practical guide to their management With case studies from the Swan Coastal Plain and beyond. Environmental Weeds Action Network
  • Department of Conservation and Land Management. (2006). Cape Tulips. Managing Weeds in Bushland.
  • Moore, J., & Wheeler, J. (2008). Southern weeds and their control. Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia
  • NSW WeedWise. (n.d.) Cape tulip - one leaf (Moraea flaccida). NSW WeedWise.
  • Weeds of Australia. (n.d.). Moraea flaccida (Sweet) Steud. Weeds of Australia.
  • WeedsAustralia. (2019, March) Cape Tulip, One-leaf Cape Tulip. WeedsAustralia.
  • Western Australian Herbarium (1998–). Florabase—the Western Australian flora. Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.

Life Cycle

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC Notes
Germination
Active growth
Flowering
Fruiting
Dormant
Regularly or most commonly
Occasionally, given suitable conditions

Management

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC Notes
Physical
Chemical
Optimal
Potentially, but conditionally dependent
Last updated: October 2026