Whitfieldia elongata is commonly called white candles for its never-ending display of 2- to 3-inch pure white flowers surrounded by a petaloid calyx. Glossy leaves with prominent drip tips are all indicative of its origins in tropical rainforests. In cultivation it requires relatively warm temperatures and high humidity, and grows equally well in a large container or planted in the soil of a conservatory. Bright light is preferable.

This genus was named in honor of T. Whitfield, a nineteenth-century collector of African plants. The species was discovered by the intrepid explorer Vogel in a region known as Fernando Po in equatorial Guinea. Its range extends across much of equatorial West Africa.