FFF23 - FLORAL SNAILS

Vigna caracalla is a leguminous vine from the family Fabaceae, originating in tropical South America and Central America. The species is named "caracalla", fromt eh Latin for "hood or cloak", referring to the hooded shape of the open flowers. Some people suggest that this specific meaning comes from Caracas in Venezuela, but this is probably a misapprehension.

This perennial vine has fragrant flowers reminiscent of hyacinths. The buds, especially have a distinctive curled shape, giving rise to the common names "corkscrew vine", "snail vine", "snail creeper", or "snail bean". This vine is hardy in zones 9 and above, liking full sun and consistently damp soil. It prefers high heat and humidity and can become invasive if these conditions are met. In colder zones, it does well in a pot if it is overwintered inside.

Join me for Floral Friday Fotos by linking your flower photos below, and please leave a comment once you have done so!

FFF23

1.	Water Snowflake	12.	beagleAnnie	23.	guild-rez Canada	34.	bettyl - New Zealand
2.	NixPages	13.	Luna Miranda	24.	Red Hot Poker/Torch Lily	35.	JBigg - Iris Beds
3.	Ebie, CA	14.	Francisca in Guangdong	25.	Herding Cats - Ribes Sanguineum	36.	The House at Bluebird Lane
4.	NixPixMix	15.	NatrueFootstep	26.	Jama-Singapore	37.	The Road to Here
5.	Min fotoblog	16.	Libby	27.	Lotusleaf, India	38.	Hamilton, Canada
6.	Andrea in this Lifetime	17.	Modern Mom	28.	Halcyon	39.	Aktuella bilder, Sweden
7.	Geli	18.	BirgittaB	29.	Jake	40.	Charming Zebra
8.	Tina´s PicStory	19.	Karin M.	30.	annnz	41.	Imelda
9.	Valerie, Adelaide	20.	Bernie in Australia	31.	Colleen@LOOSELEAFNOTES	42.	Sara Chapman in Seattle, USA
10.	Cheryl @ Deckside	21.	Nick, Melbourne	32.	Emille	43.	Magical Mystical Teacher
11.	A Wondering Star	22.	Mildred-France	33.	Loredana Donovan	44.	Magical Mystical Teacher #2

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FFF22 - CALLA LILY

Zantedeschia is a genus of herbaceous flowering plants in the family Araceae, native to southern Africa from South Africa north to Malawi. The name of the genus was given as a tribute to Italian botanist Giovanni Zantedeschi (1773–1846) by the German botanist Kurt Sprengel (1766–1833). Common names include arum lily for Z. aethiopica, calla, and calla lily for Z. elliottiana and Z. rehmannii although it is neither a true lily (Liliaceae), nor Arum or Calla (related genera in Araceae). It is also often erroneously spelled as "cala lily".

It has often been used in many paintings, and is visible in many of Diego Rivera's works of art (see The Flower Vendor, amongst others). The Zantedeschias are rhizomatous herbaceous perennial plants growing to 1-2.5 m tall with leaves 15–45 cm long. The inflorescence is a showy white, yellow or pink spathe shaped like a funnel with a yellow, central, finger-like spadix. The Zantedeschia species are poisonous due to the presence of calcium oxalate. All parts of the plant are toxic, and produce irritation and swelling of the mouth and throat, acute vomiting and diarrhoea. However, in some countries the leaves are sometimes cooked and eaten after suitable preparation.

Join me for Floral Friday Fotos by linking your flower photos below, and please leave a comment once you have done so!

This post is part of Madge's Weekly TopShot meme.

FFF22

1.	Emille	14.	Carola	27.	JM@Oeiras, Lisbon	40.	Magical Mystical Teacher #2
2.	Mildred-France	15.	Karin M.	28.	Jake	41.	ann nz
3.	Min fotoblog	16.	photographing New Zealand	29.	beagleAnnie	42.	secondhand bikes shops in london
4.	Andrea in this Lifetime	17.	Libby	30.	Marit , Norway	43.	Linda Kittmer
5.	guild-rez Canada	18.	Nick, Melbourne	31.	Fuschia	44.	Giga
6.	Tina´s PicStory	19.	Lotusleaf	32.	Modern Mom	45.	Charming Zebra
7.	Geli	20.	Sara Chapman in Seattle, USA	33.	Rake and Spade (Asha Ram)	46.	Linda
8.	guild-rez Canada	21.	Carole M/Australia	34.	JBigg - Black Swallowtail on Lilacs	47.	Margo
9.	Magical Mystical Teacher	22.	Bernie in Australia	35.	Loredana Donovan	48.	Joyful
10.	Ebie, CA	23.	Herding Cats	36.	Squirrel Queen	49.	Imelda
11.	NixPixMix	24.	Jama-Singapore	37.	Sara Chapman in Seattle, 2nd entry	50.	Pottery Barn Inspired Back Porch
12.	Luna Miranda	25.	BirgittaB	38.	Sara Chapman in Seattle, 3rd entry	51.	Forsythia Bloom
13.	NatureFootstep Photo	26.	Aktuella bilder, Sweden	39.	The House at Bluebird Lane	52.	EG CameraGirl, Canada

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FFF21 - CAPE DAISIES

Osteospermum is a genus belonging to the Calenduleae, one of the smaller tribes of the sunflower family (Asteraceae). Osteospermum used to belong to the genus Dimorphotheca, but only the annual species remain in that genus; the perennials belong to Osteospermum.

The scientific name is derived from the Greek osteon (bone) and Latin spermum (seed). It has been given several common names: African Daisy, South African Daisy, Cape Daisy and Blue-eyed Daisy. There are about 50 species, native to Africa, 35 species in southern Africa, and southwestern Arabia. They are half-hardy perennials or subshrubs. Therefore they do not survive outdoor wintry conditions, but there is still a wide range of hardiness.

Most widely sold cultivars are grown as annuals and are mainly hybrids of O. jucundum, O. ecklonis and O. grandiflorum and can be hardy to -2°C. If hardy, they can be grown as perennials or as shrubs. The photo is of a relatively newly introduced cultivar known as "Tradewinds Pure Yellow". They flower repeatedly and produce beautiful waves of colour during the growing season. This is a patented variety that was introduced in 2006 and the flowers are sterile and will not set seed.

Join me for Floral Friday Fotos by linking your flower photos below, and please leave a comment once you have done so!

FFF21

1.	NixPixMix	11.	Luna Miranda	21.	Crafty Gardener, Canada	31.	ann nz
2.	CameraCruise	12.	Emille	22.	Jackie	32.	Magical Mystical Teacher #2
3.	Ebie, CA	13.	Mildred-France	23.	Modern Mom	33.	Linda
4.	Min fotoblog	14.	Libby	24.	Marit , Norway	34.	Carole M/Australia
5.	NatureFootstep	15.	Loredana Donovan	25.	Valerie, South Australia	35.	Jim, Sydney, Australia
6.	Geli	16.	Magical Mystical Teacher	26.	Squirrel Queen	36.	peggy gatto
7.	Shannara	17.	Lotusleaf, India	27.	Jaime , SA	37.	Forsythea's Photography
8.	guild-rez Canada	18.	Sara Chapman in Seattle, USA	28.	Bernie in Australia	38.	Cheryl @ Deckside
9.	beagleAnnie	19.	Aktuella bilder, Sweden	29.	Missy (Australia)	39.	The House at Bluebird Lane
10.	Karin M.	20.	Herding Cats	30.	Missy (Australia)

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FFF20 - PRECIOUS BULBS

The tulip is a perennial, bulbous plant with showy flowers in the genus Tulipa, which comprises 109 species and belongs to the family Liliaceae. The genus's native range extends from as far west as Southern Europe, North Africa, Anatolia, and Iran to the Northwest of China. The tulip's centre of diversity is in the Pamir, Hindu Kush, and Tien Shan mountains. A number of species and many hybrid cultivars are grown in gardens, as potted plants, or to display as fresh-cut flowers. Most cultivars of tulip are derived from Tulipa gesneriana.

Tulip mania or tulipomania (Dutch names include: tulpenmanie, tulpomanie, tulpenwoede, tulpengekte and bollengekte) was a period in the Dutch Golden Age during which contract prices for bulbs of the recently introduced tulip reached extraordinarily high levels and then suddenly collapsed. At the peak of tulip mania, in February 1637, some single tulip bulbs sold for more than 10 times the annual income of a skilled craftsman. It is generally considered the first recorded speculative bubble (or economic bubble). The term "tulip mania" is now often used metaphorically to refer to any large economic bubble (when asset prices deviate from intrinsic values).

A very Happy Easter to all who celebrate it, Happy Pesach to our Jewish friends, and Happy Palm Sunday for the Eastern Church Christians!

Please join me for Floral Friday Fotos by linking your flower photos below, and please leave a comment once you have done so!

FFF20

1.	Nick, Melbourne	11.	Luna Miranda	21.	Bernie in Australia	31.	Sara Chapman in Seattle, 2nd entry
2.	NixPixMix	12.	Karin M.	22.	Lotusleaf, India	32.	Robertn
3.	Min fotoblog	13.	Gemma's Greyscale	23.	Crafty Gardener, Canada	33.	Jaime , SA
4.	A Wondering Star	14.	Libby	24.	JM@Oeiras, Lisbon	34.	Squirrel Queen
5.	guild-rez Canada	15.	Emille	25.	Hazel	35.	beagleAnnie
6.	Shannara, Sweden	16.	Carole M/Australia	26.	Jackie	36.	NixPixMix2
7.	kulasa	17.	peggy gatto	27.	LindyLouMac in Italy	37.	JBigg - Spirea
8.	Magical Mystical Teacher	18.	Sara Chapman in Seattle, USA	28.	Loredana Donovan	38.	Spring Garden Color
9.	Ebie, CA	19.	ann nz	29.	Marit , Norway	39.	Aktuella bilder, Sweden
10.	guild-rez Canada	20.	Modern Mom	30.	Rake and Spade (Asha Ram)

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