This plant came to my awareness in a rather interesting fashion. A neighbour brought me a plant asking if I knew what it was and it was collected just in the open field near our place. It had interesting red roots and I initially thought it was a non-native, but the scarlet flaming blossoms compelled me to check up my John Bleasley guide to the plants of Cairns. It was the Scarlet Bloodroot. Pretty descriptive name. Red on top, red below. The roots were used by Australian aborigines to make dyes for woven bags and baskets.

Being in the Haemodoraceae, this plant is related to the well known Australian Kangaroo Paws (Anigozanthos spp.), even though the flowers of H. coccineum does not open up in the same way. Being summer-flowering and eye catching as it is, this plant may make a name for itself in the cut-flower industry.