According to the most recent revision of the genus Drimia by Manning and Goldblatt in 2018, approximately 70 species are recognised in southern Africa. Species of Drimia are also widely distributed beyond the region, occurring in Madagascar, the Mediterranean region, southeast Asia, India, Spain, Sardinia, Corsica and Egypt. The genus has long been associated with medicinal use, with the earliest recorded use dating back to approximately 1500 BCE.

The generic name Drimia is derived from the Greek word drimys, meaning ‘acrid’ or ‘pungent’, referring to the caustic nature of the bulbs. The specific epithet delagoensis refers to Delagoa, the historical name for southern Mozambique where this species was first recorded. Species in the genus Drimia are typically deciduous, short-lived flowering plants with perennial bulbs, and very few are evergreen. They are generally poisonous and are characterised by black, winged seeds.

Drimia delagoensis was regarded as distinct from Urginea lydenburgensis by Crouch and Martínez-Azorín in 2015, based on vegetative differences. U. lydenburgensis was described as having exposed pinkish bulb scales and linear leaves measuring 8–15 mm in width. In contrast, the leaves of D. delagoensis are slightly flattened on the upper surface when compared to those of U. lydenburgensis. Additionally, the two taxa were reported to differ chemically, suggesting potential taxonomic significance and indicating a need for further investigation. However, in the 2018 revision of Drimia, Manning and Goldblatt concluded that these two taxa should be treated as conspecific, recognising Urginea lydenburgensis as a synonym of Drimia delagoensis.