FFF120 - DAHLIA 'YORK & LANCASTER'

Dahlia is a genus of bushy, tuberous, herbaceous perennial plants native mainly in Mexico, but also Central America, and Colombia. A member of the Asteraceae or Compositae, dicotyledonous plants, related species include the sunflower, daisy, chrysanthemum and zinnia. There are at least 36 species of dahlia, with hybrids commonly grown as garden plants. Flower forms are variable, with one head per stem; these can be as small as 5.1 cm diameter or up to 30 cm ("dinner plate"). This great variety results from dahlias being octoploids (that is, they have eight sets of homologous chromosomes), whereas most plants have only two. In addition, dahlias also contain many transposons (genetic pieces that move from place to place upon an allele), which contributes to their manifesting such great diversity.

The stems are leafy, ranging in height from as low as 30 cm to more than 1.8–2.4 m. The majority of species do not produce scented flowers or cultivars. Like most plants that do not attract pollinating insects through scent, they are brightly coloured, displaying most hues, with the exception of blue.The dahlia was declared the national flower of Mexico in 1963. The tubers were grown as a food crop by the Aztecs, but this use largely died out after the Spanish Conquest. Attempts to introduce the tubers as a food crop in Europe were unsuccessful.

The variety shown here, 'York & Lancaster' is an unusual and very beautiful dahlia whose origins in history have been lost centuries ago. As well as being of striking appearance, it is a cultivar that most dahlia experts have never heard of, while for others it's a genetic conundrum that shouldn't really exist.

For a dahlia it is surprisingly tough, almost hardy in light soils. Standing approximately 2'6'' tall it produces large numbers of ball shaped flower heads. If it does throw up an occasional pure white flower it will always be followed by a brilliant white and carmine red bi-colour flower.

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FFF119 - YELLOW PAPER DAISY

Xerochrysum bracteatum, commonly known as the golden everlasting or strawflower, is a flowering plant in the family Asteraceae native to Australia. Described by Étienne Pierre Ventenat in 1803, it was known as Helichrysum bracteatum for many years before being transferred to a new genus Xerochrysum in 1990. It grows as a woody or herbaceous perennial or annual shrub up to a metre tall with green or grey leafy foliage. Golden yellow or white flowerheads are produced from spring to autumn; their distinctive feature is the papery bracts that resemble petals.

The species is widespread, growing in a variety of habitats across the country, from rainforest margins to deserts and subalpine areas. The golden everlasting serves as food for various larvae of lepidopterans (butterflies and moths), and adult butterflies, hoverflies, native bees, small beetles and grasshoppers visit the flower heads.

The golden everlasting has proven very adaptable to cultivation. It was propagated and developed in Germany in the 1850s, and annual cultivars in a host of colour forms from white to bronze to purple flowers became available. Many of these are still sold in mixed seed packs. In Australia, many cultivars are perennial shrubs, which have become popular garden plants. Sturdier, long-stemmed forms are used commercially in the cut flower industry.

Shown here is Xerochrysum 'Dargan Hill Monarch' was a natural form collected around 1.6 km inland from Cunningham's Gap in Southern Queensland in May 1961, and registered in February 1977. It is a low perennial shrub 60 to 80 cm high and 1.5 m across. The foliage is grey and the large flowers are 7–9 cm in diameter and golden yellow in colour. It grows best in full sun and fair drainage. Cuttings strike readily, and seed germinate well, although with the latter, seedlings may differ from the parent.

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FFF 118 - DAMPIERA

Dampiera linearis (Common Dampiera or Wedge-leaved Dampiera) is an erect perennial herb in the family Goodeniaceae. The species, which is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia,  and grows to between 0.15 and 0.6 metres in height. It produces blue flowers between July and December in its native range. In cultivation, the species prefers a well-drained situation in full sun or light shade. It tolerates some dryness and moderate frost. The hybrid "True Blue" is shown here.

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FFF 117 - VALENTINE'S MINIATURE ROSES

Gardeners limited in space can enjoy all the fun of rose growing by cultivating miniature roses in containers. They also adapt well to flowerbed edging, front-of-the-border socialising with perennials and annuals, and low hedges.

Miniature roses first came into being in the early 1930s as an accidental result of rose hybridising. Since then, master miniaturists have created many jewel-like varieties featuring perfectly shaped tiny blooms on clean, healthy plants that generally stay under 60 cm height.

Miniature roses respond to all the care basics of regular-size roses - deep irrigation, sunshine. and regular fertilising - but they do need extra winter protection in colder climates. To ensure the plant doesn't die back to the roots, in Zone 5 and below, bury the rose plant in a mound of soil.

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Happy Valentine's Day from Floral Friday Fotos!

FFF116 - LEWISIA

Lewisias are small, colourful flowering plants which are native to the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. Named after the US explorer Lieutenant Meriwether Lewis, these plants are wonderful for providing colour in rock crevices in a cool climate.

Lewisia cotyledon 'Elise' shown here’ flowers in the first season without a cold period and can be used as an annual for rockeries, beds and containers. ‘The plant’ starts flowering 4-5 months after sowing and is a sturdy plant with attractive fleshy, succulent leaves with flowers all season long in shades of pastel pink, rose, salmon, orange, white and yellow, and bicolour patterns.

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FFF115 - PLUMBAGO

Plumbago auriculata (common names blue plumbago, Cape plumbago or Cape leadwort), syn. P. capensis, is a species of flowering plant in the family Plumbaginaceae, native to South Africa.

It is an evergreen shrub, often grown as a climber, ascending rapidly to 6 m tall by 3 m wide in nature, though much smaller when cultivated as a houseplant. It has light blue to blue flowers and also variations with white (P. auriculata var. alba) or deep blue -shown here (P. auriculata 'Royal cape') flowers. The leaves are a glossy green and grow to 5 cm long.

Plumbago grow best in full sun to part shade.The specific epithet auriculata means "with ears", referring to the shape of the leaves. In temperate regions it may be grown outside in frost free areas, otherwise under glass. The species and the white-flowered form P. auriculata f. alba have both gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

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FFF114 - STREPTOCARPUS

A popular house plant, Streptocarpus, is an Afrotropical genus of flowering plants in the family Gesneriaceae (the Gesneriads). The genus is native to Afromontane biotopes from central, eastern and southern Africa, including Madagascar. The flowers are five-petalled, salverform tubes, almost orchid-like in appearance, and hover or arch over the plant. In the wild, species can be found growing on shaded rocky hillsides or cliffs, on the ground, in rock crevices, and almost anywhere the seed can germinate and grow. For the home, there are now many hybrids of various colours and forms available.

The genus is defined by having a spirally twisted fruit (from Greek via Latin, where strepto = twisted, carpus = fruit - Greek: Στρεπτόκαρπος), although this character is also found in some other Old World genera of Gesneriaceae.

Although generally referred to simply as "Streptocarpus", or "Streps", the common name for subgenus Streptocarpus is "Cape Primrose", referring to the nativity of several species to South Africa and their superficial resemblance to the genus Primula. The common name for subgenus Streptocarpella is "Nodding Violet".

There are a few odd Asian species of Streptocarpus that however do not belong in the genus. Molecular systematics has shown conclusively that they are not true Streptocarpus and should be placed in another genus. DNA studies have shown that, despite not having a twisted fruit, the genus Saintpaulia (African Violets) evolved from within the Tanzanian Streptocarpus subgenus Streptocarpella. This particular hybrid with the striking dark blue flowers is  "Anderson's Crows' Wings".

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