FFF19 - A COMMON "WEED"

Common chicory, Cichorium intybus, is a somewhat woody, perennial herbaceous plant usually with bright blue flowers, rarely white or pink. Various varieties are cultivated for salad leaves, chicons (blanched buds), or for roots (var. sativum), which are baked, ground, and used as a coffee substitute and additive. It is also grown as a forage crop for livestock. It lives as a wild plant on roadsides in its native Europe, and in North America and Australia, where it has become naturalised. "Chicory" is also the common name in the United States for curly endive (Cichorium endivia); these two closely related species are often confused.

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

FFF19

1.	Luna Miranda	11.	Hannah uk	21.	Magical Mystical Teacher	31.	Gemma's Greyscale
2.	NixPixMix	12.	Meeha Meeha	22.	Valerie, Adelaide	32.	Gemma's MP Daily
3.	Min fotoblog	13.	LindyLouMac in Italy	23.	Bernie in Australia	33.	Loredana Donovan
4.	Marit , Norway	14.	Libby	24.	Carole M/Australia	34.	ann nz
5.	Geli	15.	Karin M.	25.	Carole M/Australia	35.	Squirrel Queen
6.	Tina´s PicStory	16.	NatureFootstep memes	26.	Modern Mom	36.	Magical Mystical Teacher #2
7.	A Wondering Star	17.	Shannara, Sweden	27.	Jaime , SA	37.	beagleAnnie
8.	Nick, Melbourne	18.	Emille	28.	jake	38.	Marigolds in the living room
9.	CameraCruise	19.	NixPages, Spring Flowers in our Garden	29.	Halcyon	39.	Jim, Sydney, Australia
10.	guild-rez Canada	20.	Andrea in this Lifetime	30.	Cheryl	40.	Magical Mystical Teacher #3

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FFF18 - EASTER DAISIES

Easter (or Michaelmas) daisies (Aster novi-belgii) were once popular in gardens, but are less frequently seen now. They are herbaceous perennials with upright, much-branched stems on which masses of small daisies are produced in late summer and autumn. The flowers range in colour from white through pale lilac blue, mauve, purple and pink to deep reddish plum. They can be planted in mixed borders and can also be used effectively in beds on their own. The taller varieties often need staking, and are best planted at the back of garden beds.

A. novi-belgii was introduced from North America into Britain in 1710. In America they were called New York daisies, however, in England these plants bloomed at the same time as St Michael's Day is celebrated (September 29th), and so they became associated with the festival of Michaelmas and were given its name. In the Southern hemisphere where Easter is an Autumnal feast, the daisies bloom at about this time and hence the term "Easter Daisies".
These daisies are easy to grow. Plant them in full sun in a rich, moisture-retentive soil. When they die down in winter cut the dead stems back to ground level. When the new shoots appear in spring, apply a mulch of well-rotted manure or compost to which fertiliser has been added. Lift and divide the clumps every second or third year in winter.

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

FFF18

1.	guild-rez Canada	9.	A Wondering Star	17.	Emille	25.	Squirrel Queen
2.	Geli	10.	Magical Mystical Teacher	18.	Libby	26.	RobertN
3.	Nick, Melbourne	11.	Magical Mystical Teacher #2	19.	Mildred-France	27.	ann nz
4.	Min fotoblog	12.	hannah + Schlumbergera	20.	Oil Painted Flowers	28.	Magical Mystical Teacher #3
5.	Ebie, CA	13.	Valerie, Adelaide	21.	beagleAnnie	29.	Magical Mystical Teacher #4
6.	Lindy	14.	Gemma's Greyscale	22.	Modern Mom	30.	Magical Mystical Teacher #5
7.	Andrea, Philippines	15.	Luna Miranda	23.	JM
8.	Dianne Adelaide	16.	NatureFootstep	24.	Karin M.

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FFF17 - BLOOD FLOWER

Haemanthus coccineus (commonly known as the Blood Flower or Paintbrush Lily), is a bulbous geophyte in the genus Haemanthus, native to Southern Africa. The generic name Haemanthus is derived from the Greek words haima for "blood" and anthos for "flower"; coccineus is the Latin word for red or scarlet. In the Afrikaans language it is known as Bergajuin, Bloedblom, and many other vernacular names.

The Blood Lily is native throughout the winter rainfall region in Southern Africa - from the southern parts of Namibia, to South Africa in the Cape Peninsula, to the Keiskamma River in the Eastern Cape. It is an adaptable species, growing in a wide range of soils derived from sandstones, quartzites, granites, shales and limestones. It will survive annual rainfall ranging from 100–1,100 millimetres.

The large (up to 10 cm diameter) flowerheads of Haemanthus coccineus emerge between February and April in the Southern Hemisphere, with scarlet spathe valves on them like bright shaving brushes, making it a striking plant. The flowers are soon followed by translucent, fleshy berries. There are usually two very large leaves per bulb, and occasionally three, these leaves appearing only after flowering has occurred. We have it growing in our garden quite happily and it always attracts a lot of attention when it is in bloom.

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

FFF17

1.	Nick, Melbourne	8.	Sallie (FullTime-Life)	15.	Modern Mom	22.	Karin M.
2.	Ebie, CA	9.	NatureFootstep	16.	A Wondering Star	23.	guild-rez Canada
3.	Min fotoblog	10.	Magical Mystical Teacher	17.	Gemma's Greyscale	24.	Barrel Cactus
4.	Geli	11.	Libby	18.	Carole M/Australia	25.	Poppies
5.	CameraCruise	12.	Emille	19.	Squirrel Queen	26.	Magical Mystical Teacher #2
6.	hannah uk	13.	Tina´s PicStory	20.	Andrea in this Lifetime
7.	beagleAnnie	14.	Valerie, Adelaide	21.	ann nz

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FFF16 - CHINESE GLORY BOWER

The Chinese Glory Bower flower is a sumptuous garden plant that is known by a variety of formal, scientific names: Clerodendrum philippinum, Clerodendrum fragrans var. multiplex, Clerodendrum fragrans, Volkameria fragrans, Clerodendrum fragrans var. pleniflorum. It is a native of China and Japan, which has been naturalised in tropical and subtropical climates.

It is a shrub, up to 2.4 metres tall with heart shaped leaves, up to 25 cm long. It propagates with underground runners, and can be invasive. The Chinese Glory Bower usually encountered in nurseries has double very fragrant pink or white flowers, 2 cm across. The wild form is single-flowered. The flowers are most fragrant in the evening and attract butterflies. When the leaves of flowers are bruised they can exude an unpleasant pungent odour.

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

FFF16

1.	Geli	8.	hannah uk	15.	Luna Miranda	22.	Sara Chapman in Seattle, USA
2.	Magical Mystical Teacher	9.	Emille	16.	beagleAnnie	23.	Sara Chapman in Seattle, 2nd entry, USA
3.	Meeha Meeha	10.	Carola	17.	Missy	24.	Carole M/Australia
4.	Min fotoblog	11.	Libby	18.	NatureFootstep	25.	Magical Mystical Teacher #2
5.	Ebie, CA	12.	Bernie in Australia	19.	Halcyon, Toronto
6.	Nick, Melbourne	13.	Linda Makiej Photography	20.	Modern Mom
7.	Sallie (FullTime-Life)	14.	Andrea, Philippines	21.	ann nz

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