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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FFF115

1.	My Desktop Daily	11.	NatureFootstep Photo	21.	Zauberpalme	31.	Pretty wild flowers of South Africa
2.	Nick, Melbourne	12.	Maboe	22.	Synnöve	32.	maryaustria
3.	NixPixMix	13.	Tom The Backroads Traveller	23.	The Rosegarden in Malevik	33.	Christines Welt!
4.	Gunilla	14.	Jocee NZ	24.	Ingmarie We/Refugium	34.	In Love With Words
5.	Mascha	15.	Jama -Singapore	25.	Moni	35.	Shannon
6.	Visual Noteboard	16.	Red Passion	26.	Earth Laughs in Flowers	36.	Polaroid Musings
7.	Ileana	17.	Aletta - Nowathome	27.	Mike	37.	Sara Chapman in Seattle USA
8.	Xavi, Barcelona	18.	Rajesh	28.	Scene by Minerva	38.	Regina, PH
9.	Mary, MI	19.	Yael from Home Garden Diggers	29.	Dawn	39.	veredit
10.	Jesh StG	20.	Ulla Laiho	30.	Y.P.	40.	Gurgaon Gardener, Roses

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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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FFF114

1.	My Desktop Daily	12.	Ileana	23.	Aletta - Nowathome	34.	The Rosegarden in Malevik
2.	Nick, Melbourne	13.	Tom The Backroads Traveller	24.	Tina	35.	scrapydo
3.	NixPixMix	14.	Sara Chapman in Seattle USA	25.	Zauberpalme	36.	Moni
4.	Ulla Laiho	15.	Andrea, Philippines	26.	Synnöve	37.	ann nz
5.	NatureFootstep Photo	16.	Sara Chapman #2	27.	Daily Musings	38.	Doda
6.	Maboe	17.	Sara Chapman #3	28.	Dawn	39.	DG MARYOGA
7.	Mary, MI	18.	Sara Chapman #4	29.	HoodPhoto OR-USA	40.	Daisies and Monarchs
8.	Gunilla	19.	Daniela, Ohio USA	30.	Xavi	41.	Donna, Finland
9.	Jesh StG	20.	maryaustria	31.	Y. P.	42.	ann nz 2
10.	UsedToBe&WillBeAgain	21.	Plum Blossoms	32.	br4ceyourself
11.	Scene by Minerva	22.	bettyl - New Zealand	33.	Susan

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FFF113 - HYDRANGEA

Hydrangea (common names hydrangea or hortensia) is a genus of 70-75 species of flowering plants native to southern and eastern Asia (China, Japan, Korea, the Himalayas, and Indonesia) and the Americas. By far the greatest species diversity is in eastern Asia, notably China, Japan, and Korea. Most are shrubs 1 to 3 meters tall, but some are small trees, and others lianas reaching up to 30 m (98 ft) by climbing up trees. They can be either deciduous or evergreen, though the widely cultivated temperate species are all deciduous.

Having been introduced to the Azores, H. macrophylla is now very common, particularly on Faial, which is known as the "blue island" due to the vast number of hydrangeas present on the island. Species in the related genus Schizophragma, also in Hydrangeaceae, are also often known as hydrangeas. Schizophragma hydrangeoides and Hydrangea petiolaris are both commonly known as climbing hydrangeas.

There are two flower arrangements in hydrangeas. Mophead flowers are large round flowerheads resembling pom-poms or, as the name implies, the head of a mop. In contrast, lacecap flowers (shown here) bear round, flat flowerheads with a centre core of subdued, fertile flowers surrounded by outer rings of showy, sterile flowers. The flowers of some rhododendrons can appear similar to those of some hydrangeas, but Rhododendron (including azaleas) is in a different order.

In most species the flowers are white, but in some species (notably H. macrophylla), can be blue, red, pink, light purple, or dark purple. In these species the colour is affected by soil pH. For H. macrophylla and H. serrata cultivars, the flower colour can be determined by the relative acidity of the soil: An acidic soil (pH below 6) will usually produce flower colour closer to blue, whereas an alkaline soil (pH above 6) will produce flowers more pink. This is caused by a colour change of the flower pigments in the presence of aluminium ions which can be taken up into hyperaccumulating plants.

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FFF113

1.	Nick, Melbourne	9.	BirgittaB	17.	Aletta	25.	Jocee NZ
2.	NixPixMix	10.	NatureFootstep Photo	18.	Dawn	26.	ann nz
3.	My Desktop Daily	11.	Jesh StG	19.	Susan	27.	ann nz
4.	Carole M.	12.	The Rosegarden in Malevik	20.	Ileana	28.	ann nz
5.	Mascha	13.	Christines Welt!	21.	Poppies	29.	Wild Flowers
6.	Andrea, Hoyas	14.	Y.	22.	Simfonia florilor	30.	Trini Garden
7.	Gunilla	15.	Synnöve	23.	Xavi, Barcelona
8.	Ulla Laiho	16.	Lilies at Kew | Travel with Intent	24.	Scene by Minerva

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FFF112 - GAILLARDIA

Gaillardia, the blanket flowers, is a genus of flowering plants in the sunflower family, Asteraceae, native to North and South America. It was named after an M. Gaillard de Merentonneau or perhaps Charentonneau, an 18th-century French magistrate who was a patron of botany. The common name may refer to the resemblance of the inflorescence to the brightly patterned blankets made by Native Americans, or to the ability of wild taxa to blanket the ground with colonies. Many cultivars have been bred for ornamental use.

These are annual or perennial herbs or subshrubs, sometimes with rhizomes. The stem is usually branching and erect to a maximum height around 80 cm. The leaves are alternately arranged. Some taxa have only basal leaves. They vary in shape. They are glandular in most species. The inflorescence is a solitary flower head. The head can have 15 or more ray florets, while some taxa lack any ray florets. They can be most any shade of yellow, orange, red, purplish, brown, white, or bicolored. They are sometimes rolled into a funnel shape. There are many tubular disc florets at the centre of the head in a similar range of colours, and usually tipped with hairs. The fruit usually has a pappus of scales.

The cultivar "Arizona Sun" illustrated here provides a blaze of summertime colour that thrives, whatever the weather! There is a constant display of large flower heads in fiery shades of orange, yellow and red. The cheery blooms persist well into autumn, and make spectacular cut flowers for an indoor display. This low maintenance, hardy perennial is trouble-free and even copes well on poor, dry soils. Perfect for containers or filling gaps at the front of sunny borders.

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

FFF112

1.	My Desktop Daily	10.	ann nz	19.	beagleAnnie	28.	Sara Chapman #3
2.	Nick, Melbourne	11.	Bernie in Australia	20.	Xavi, Barcelona	29.	Moni
3.	NixPixMix	12.	Sara Chapman in Seattle USA	21.	Bev @ Eclectic Red Barn	30.	Christines Welt!
4.	Gunilla	13.	Sara Chapman #2	22.	Susan	31.	The Rosegarden in Malevik
5.	NatureFootstep Photo	14.	Mascha	23.	Leticia, Omaha NE	32.	Mona's Picturesque
6.	Ileana	15.	Zauberpalme	24.	Katie Allen	33.	Debbie at Travel with Intent
7.	Christian	16.	Andrea	25.	Shannon	34.	Al, California
8.	Jesh StG	17.	Jocee NZ	26.	Dawn	35.	Daniela's Flowers
9.	Passion Flowers	18.	Tina	27.	Scene by Minerva

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FFF111 - MANDEVILLA

Mandevilla is a genus of plants belonging to the dogbane family, Apocynaceae. It consists of about 100 species, mostly tropical and subtropical flowering vines. Mandevilla species are native the Southwestern United States, Mexico, Central America and South America. Many originate from the Serra dos Órgãos forests in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The genus was named after Henry Mandeville (1773-1861), a British diplomat and gardener.[5]

The Aloha Mandevilla series are versatile climbing plants that boast prolific flowering in the warmer months and offer a great choice of excellent flower colours. We’re also proud to say they’re bred right here in Australia. The range takes you through a voyage from the darkest red to the brightest pink and white.

Mandevilla originated in the tropical climate of Brazil, however, successive breeding with the well-mannered Dipladenia-type plants by Australians Mal Morgan and Graham Brown has seen them become adaptable to Australia’s climatic conditions. The Alohas are climbing plants but they’re not aggressive. If they aren’t given the chance to grow onto supports, they remain shrub-like and flower from top to bottom. If planting in pots or tubs, give them a frame to grow onto for best results.

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

FFF111

1.	Nick, Melbourne	8.	Ileana	15.	Rose Buds	22.	Katie Allen
2.	NixPixMix	9.	Villroses hage	16.	HoodPhoto OR-USA	23.	Moni
3.	My Desktop Daily	10.	Anneli	17.	The Rosegarden in Malevik	24.	Sujata, India
4.	BirgittaB	11.	Sara Chapman in Seattle USA	18.	Scene by Minerva	25.	Raj
5.	Sophie A.	12.	Sara Chapman #2	19.	Dawn	26.	Synnöve
6.	Maboe	13.	Sara Chapman in Seattle USA	20.	Lanis Rossi
7.	Gunilla	14.	WoollyMuses	21.	Rajesh

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