The rules for posting are simple!

1. Every Friday post a photo that includes one or more flowers.
2. Please only post photos you have authority to use.
3. Include a link to this blog in your post - http://floralfridayfoto.blogspot.com/
4. Leave the link to your FloralFridayFoto post below on inlinkz.
5. Visit other blogs listed ... comment & enjoy!

When to Post:
inlinkz will be available every Thursday and will remain open until the next Wednesday.

Thursday 15 January 2015

FFF165 - FAIRY FAN FLOWER

Scaevola is a genus of flowering plants in the Goodenia family, Goodeniaceae. It consists of more than 130 tropical species, with the centre of diversity being Australia and Polynesia. Common names for Scaevola species include scaevolas, fan-flowers, half-flowers, and naupaka, the fan flower's Hawaiian name. The flowers are shaped as if they have been cut in half. The generic name means "left-handed" in Latin. Many legends have been told to explain the formation of the naupaka's unique half flowers. In one version a woman tears the flower in half after a quarrel with her lover. The gods, angered, turn all naupaka flowers into half flowers and the two lovers remained separated while the man is destined to search in vain for another whole flower.

Scaevola is the only Goodeniaceae genus that is widespread outside of Australia. In at least six separate dispersals, about 40 species have spread throughout the Pacific Basin, with a few reaching the tropical coasts of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. The Hawaiian Islands are home to ten Scaevola species, nine of which are endemic. Eight of the indigenous species are the result of a single colonisation event.

Scaevola aemula (Fairy Fan-flower or Common Fan-flower, shown here) is a small shrub native to southern Australia. It grows to 50 cm in height and produces white or blue flowers in spikes up to 24 cm long from August to March in its native range. These are followed by rounded, wrinkled berries to 4.5 mm in length.

The species occurs in Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales. The species is thought to be the most commonly cultivated of the genus Scaevola, and a large number of cultivars have been developed. Most of these are mat-forming to a height of 12 cm and spreading up to 1 metre in width. It prefers a sunny or partially shaded, well-drained position and tolerates salt spray and periods of drought. Pruning and pinching of tip growth may be carried out to shape the plant. Propagation is from cuttings or by layering.

Join me for Floral Friday Fotos by linking your flower photos below, and please leave a comment once you have done so!
If you link your post here, please show a link back to this site on your blog post...

15 comments:

  1. Probably in the wrong place. Sorry. Will do better next time :-)
    I adore these scaevola. Can't always get the beddingpl;ants over here.

    ReplyDelete
  2. The name of this flower makes me smile...simple and cute:)

    ReplyDelete
  3. They certainly provide a vibrant display

    ReplyDelete
  4. That is so interesting! Very cool flower.

    ReplyDelete
  5. It has such a stunning colour!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Yet another flower completely new to me. I think they are very cute and hope to see them around the Pacific Northwest, Seattle area some day. Thanks, Nick!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Such a pretty flower, thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  8. "Femtunga" (Scaevola) is popular in Sweden and my husband is very fond of this.

    ReplyDelete
  9. What a colour!
    Ciao from Italy

    ReplyDelete
  10. Wonderful purple flowers. Sorry, I´m late. To much business.
    Thank you very much for your comments.
    Best regards, Synnöve

    ReplyDelete
  11. Thank you for hosting and your sensible comment. I looking for answering to explain. Of course we have here a other meaning but we show our historical in different ways ;)
    Wish you a very good weekend, Heidrun

    ReplyDelete
  12. Hello,
    I love these flowers, so wonderful and specially blue!
    Have a nice weekend,
    moni

    Thanks if you visit my blog
    http://www.reflexionblog.de

    ReplyDelete
  13. Lovely! They are great for balcony boxes here...

    ReplyDelete
  14. I love the colour of these pretty flowers.

    ReplyDelete