FFF744 - BLUE LOTUS WATERLILY

Nymphaea nouchali var. caerulea, is a water lily in the genus Nymphaea, a botanical variety of Nymphaea nouchali. It is an aquatic plant of freshwater lakes, pools and rivers, naturally found throughout most of the eastern half of Africa, as well as parts of southern Arabia, but has also been spread to other regions as an ornamental plant. It can tolerate the roots being in anoxic mud in nutritionally poor conditions, and can become a dominant plant in deeper water in such habitats. The underwater rhizomes are edible.

It features prominently in Egyptian mythology and art, symbolizing the sun and rebirth and has been found in pharaohs' tombs. It may have been used for aphrodisiac and religious purposes, including in rituals like Hathor's Festival of Drunkenness. Modern recreational use, primarily through drinking infusions or vaping, has been associated with toxicity, causing symptoms like sedation and perceptual disturbances. Recent research by UC Berkeley confirmed that the authentic Nymphaea caerulea is chemically distinct from many products sold online, which contain significantly less of the psychoactive alkaloid nuciferine and are misidentified water lilies.

Nymphaea caerulea, first described by Marie Jules César Savigny in 1798, was later classified as a variety of Nymphaea nouchali by Bernard Verdcourt in 1989. Though it is still most commonly referred to as a variety of Nymphaea nouchali, recent phylogenetic studies have problematized the taxonomy. When defined taxonomically as Nymphaea nouchali var. caerulea, it is considered synonymous with Nymphaea capensis. When considered taxonomically as Nymphaea caerulea, it is now rare due to habitat loss from the Aswan Dam.

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

****If you take part in the meme, please show an active link back to this site on your own blog post!****

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

FFF638 - STROMANTHE

Stromanthe sanguinea is a plant species in the arrowroot family Marantaceae, native to the Brazilian rainforest. It is a common houseplant in temperate climates, valued for its striking variegated leaves with purple undersides. It can grow outside in a humid tropical climate, but needs light shade in the afternoon and must be protected from high winds. The soil should be kept moist at all times, but never waterlogged as the plant is susceptible to root rot.

Hummingbirds and bees are the main pollinators. Under ideal growing conditions, Stromanthe sanguinea will reach 1.2–1.8 m tall in about a year after emerging from its rhizome. Propagation can be from either seeds or rhizome division, but it is faster and more reliable to take rhizome cuttings. The Latin specific epithet sanguinea means “blood-red. Stromanthe sanguinea has received the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

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

****If you take part in the meme, please show an active link back to this site on your own blog post!****

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

FFF636 - AFRICAN VIOLET

Saintpaulia, commonly known as African violet, is a genus of 6–20 species of herbaceous perennial flowering plants in the family Gesneriaceae, native to Tanzania and adjacent southeastern Kenya in eastern tropical Africa. Typically the African violet is a common household indoor plant but can also be an outdoor plant. Several of the species and subspecies are endangered, and many more are threatened, due to their native cloud forest habitats being cleared for agriculture. The conservation status of Saintpaulia ionantha has been classed as near-threatened.

Saintpaulias, which grow from 6–15 cm tall, can be anywhere from 6–30 cm wide. The leaves are rounded to oval, 2.5–8.5 cm long with a 2–10 cm petiole, finely hairy, and have a fleshy texture. The flowers are 2–3 cm in diameter, with a five-lobed velvety corolla ("petals"), and grow in clusters of 3–10 or more on slender stalks called peduncles. Wild species can have violet, purple, pale blue, or white flowers. 

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

****If you take part in the meme, please show an active link back to this site on your own blog post!****

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

FFF617 - AZTEC LILY

Sprekelia is a genus of at least three bulbous plants in the family Amaryllidaceae, subfamily Amaryllidoideae. They are native to Central America. Like Hippeastrum, these plants were known as Amaryllis. Sprekelia plants are sometimes called "Aztec lilies", although they are not true lilies. This genus is named after Johann Heinrich von Spreckelsen (1691–1764), who supplied the plants to Lorenz Heister.

Sprekelia formosissima shown here is the only species grown in Australia. It is a bulbous perennial that has clumps of strap-shaped, mid-green leaves. Each stem, about 30 cm tall, bears a solitary scarlet to deep crimson flower in late spring or early summer; established clumps may bloom again later in the summer. It grows best in partial sun and abundant moisture. Because the bulbs are tender and bloom best when crowded, container culture is probably best. Repot every 2 to 3 years. Roots resent disturbance.

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

****If you take part in the meme, please show an active link back to this site on your own blog post!****

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

FFF600 - CLOVE FLOWERS

Cloves are the aromatic flower buds of a tree in the family Myrtaceae, Syzygium aromaticum. They are native to the Maluku Islands (Moluccas) in Indonesia, and are commonly used as a spice, flavouring, or fragrance in consumer products, such as toothpaste, soaps, or cosmetics. Cloves are available throughout the year owing to different harvest seasons across various countries.

The clove tree is an evergreen that grows up to 8–12 metres tall, with large leaves and crimson flowers grouped in terminal clusters. The flower buds initially have a pale hue, gradually turn green, then transition to a bright red when ready for harvest. Cloves are harvested at 1.5–2 centimetres long, and consist of a long calyx that terminates in four spreading sepals, and four unopened petals that form a small central ball.

Clove stalks are slender stems of the inflorescence axis that show opposite decussate branching. Externally, they are brownish, rough, and irregularly wrinkled longitudinally with short fracture and dry, woody texture.

Mother cloves (anthophylli) are the ripe fruits of cloves that are ovoid, brown berries, unilocular and one-seeded. Blown cloves are expanded flowers from which both corollae and stamens have been detached. Exhausted cloves have most or all the oil removed by distillation. They yield no oil and are darker in colour.

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

****If you take part in the meme, please show an active link back to this site on your own blog post!***

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

FFF590 - SAINTPAULIA

Saintpaulia, commonly known as African violet, is a genus of 6–20 species of herbaceous perennial flowering plants in the family Gesneriaceae, native to Tanzania and adjacent southeastern Kenya in eastern tropical Africa. 

Typically the African violet is a common household indoor plant but can also be an outdoor plant. Several of the species and subspecies are endangered, and many more are threatened, due to their native cloud forest habitats being cleared for agriculture.

The conservation status of Saintpaulia ionantha has been classed as near-threatened. Saintpaulias, which grow from 6–15 cm tall, can be anywhere from 6–30 cm wide. The leaves are rounded to oval, 2.5–8.5 cm long with a 2–10 cm petiole, finely hairy, and have a fleshy texture.

The flowers are 2–3 cm in diameter, with a five-lobed velvety corolla ("petals"), and grow in clusters of 3–10 or more on slender stalks called peduncles. Wild species can have violet, purple, pale blue, or white flowers.

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

****If you take part in the meme, please show an active link back to this site on your own blog post!****

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

FFF577 - SKYVINE

Thunbergia grandiflora is an evergreen vine in the family Acanthaceae. It is native to China, India, Nepal, Indochina and Burma and widely naturalised elsewhere. Common names include Bengal clockvine, Bengal trumpet, blue skyflower, blue thunbergia, blue trumpetvine, clockvine, skyflower and skyvine.

Plants may grow to about 20 metres in height and have a long root system with a deep tap root. The stalked, opposite leaves, which have a rough surface, are quite variable in shape. They may be triangular or ovate and the margins may be toothed, lobed or entire. Length is up to 20 cm and width is up to 6 cm.

The blue to mauve flowers are about 8 cm across with a 4 cm long tube that is pale yellow inside. These are followed by pods containing seeds that are ejected several metres upon ripening. Plants also reproduce from segments that are washed down watercourses. With a minimum temperature of 10–13 °C, this plant is cultivated as a houseplant in temperate regions, and has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

The species has become a serious environmental weed in Australia on disturbed land along watercourses and in the wet tropics where it smothers other vegetation. It is commonly seen north of Sydney where it has been cultivated for many years.

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

****If you take part in the meme, please show an active link back to this site on your own blog post!****

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

FFF572 - JACARANDA

Jacaranda mimosifolia is a sub-tropical tree native to South America that has been widely planted elsewhere because of its beautiful and long-lasting blue flowers. It is also known as Jacaranda, Blue Jacaranda, Black Poui, or as the fern tree. Older sources give it the systematic name Jacaranda acutifolia, but it is nowadays more usually classified as Jacaranda mimosifolia. In scientific usage, the name "Jacaranda" refers to the genus Jacaranda, which has many other members, but in horticultural and everyday usage, it nearly always means the Blue Jacaranda.

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

***If you take part in the meme, please show an active link back to this site on your own blog post!***

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

FFF533 - BAT FLOWER

Tacca integrifolia (white bat plant) has strange, almost bizarre flowers resembling a bat’s black face with white ears and long whiskers. It is found naturally in south-east Asia and from eastern India to southern China. It belongs to the yam family, Dioscoraceae. It is an upright leafy plant with grey-green, narrow leaves growing from an underground fleshy root.

The flowers are borne in flower heads of up to thirty blooms. These form the bat’s face. They range in colour from purple-red to brown. The flowers are topped by white floral leaves called bracts, which resemble bat’s ears. Filaments up to 20cm long or more hang from the flowers. The similar black bat plant has black or purple bracts. 

There is also an Australian native species called T. leontopetaloides. This plant is suited to the tropics and subtropics. Outside these areas bat plants can be grown in filtered light in a humid glasshouse or conservatory, with a minimum temperature of about 15°C. It produces extraordinary flowers, has attractive foliage and is a stunning novelty plant. It is difficult to grow, may be hard to find and therefore suited to dedicated green thumbs!

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

If you take part in the meme, please show an active link back to this site on your own blog post!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

FFF465 - STRELITZIA

Strelitzia reginae is a monocotyledonous flowering plant indigenous to South Africa. Common names include Strelitzia, Crane Flower or Bird of Paradise, though these names are also collectively applied to other species in the genus Strelitzia. Its scientific name commemorates Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, queen consort of the United Kingdom, wife of H.M. King George III.

The species is native to South Africa but naturalised in Mexico, Belize, Bangladesh, Madeira Islands and Juan Fernández Islands off the coast of Chile. The plant grows to 2 m tall, with large, strong leaves 25–70 cm long and 10–30 cm broad, produced on petioles up to 1 m long. The leaves are evergreen and arranged in two ranks, making a fan-shaped crown.

The flowers stand above the foliage at the tips of long stalks. The hard, beak-like sheath from which the flower emerges is termed the spathe. This is placed perpendicular to the stem, which gives it the appearance of a bird's head and beak; it makes a durable perch for holding the sunbirds which pollinate the flowers. The flowers, which emerge one at a time from the spathe, consist of three brilliant orange sepals and three purplish-blue petals. Two of the blue petals are joined together to form an arrow-like nectary. When the sunbirds sit to drink the nectar, the petals open to cover their feet in pollen.

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

If you take part in the meme, please show an active link back to this site on your own blog post!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

FFF 458 - ADENIUM

Adenium obesum is a species of flowering plant in the dogbane family, Apocynaceae, that is native to the Sahel regions, south of the Sahara (from Mauritania and Senegal to Sudan), and tropical and subtropical eastern and southern Africa and Arabia. Common names include Sabi star, kudu, mock azalea, impala lily and desert rose.

It is an evergreen or drought-deciduous succulent shrub (which can also lose its leaves during cold spells, or according to the subspecies or cultivar). It can grow to 1–3 m in height, with pachycaul stems and a stout, swollen basal caudex. The leaves are spirally arranged, clustered toward the tips of the shoots, simple entire, leathery in texture, 5–15 cm long and 1–8 cm broad. The flowers are tubular, 2–5 cm long, with the outer portion 4–6 cm diameter with five petals, resembling those of other related genera such as Plumeria and Nerium. The flowers tend to red and pink, often with a whitish blush outward of the throat.

Adenium obesum is a popular houseplant and bonsai in temperate regions. It requires a sunny location and a minimum indoor temperature in winter of 10 °C. It thrives on a xeric watering regime as required by cacti. A. obesum is typically propagated by seed or stem cuttings. The numerous hybrids are propagated mainly by grafting on to seedling rootstock. While plants grown from seed are more likely to have the swollen caudex at a young age, with time many cutting-grown plants cannot be distinguished from seedlings. This plant has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. The toxic sap of its roots and stems is used as arrow poison for hunting large game throughout much of Africa, and as a fish toxin.

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

If you take part in the meme, please show an active link back to this site on your own blog post!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

FFF447 - TORCH GINGER

Etlingera elatior (also known as Torch Ginger, Ginger Flower, Red Ginger Lily, Torch Lily, Wild Ginger, Combrang, Bunga Kantan, Philippine Wax Flower, Xiang Bao Jiaing, Indonesian Tall Ginger, Boca de Dragón, Rose de Porcelaine, Porcelain Rose) is a species of herbaceous perennial plant. Botanical synonyms include Nicolaia elatior, Phaeomeria magnifica, Nicolaia speciosa, Phaeomeria speciosa, Alpinia elatior, Alpinia magnifica!

The showy pink flowers are used in decorative arrangements while the flower buds are an important ingredient in the Nonya dish laksa. In North Sumatra, the flower buds are used for a dish called arsik ikan mas (Andaliman/Szechuan pepper Spiced Carp). It is known in Indonesian as bunga kecombrang or honje, Malay as bunga kantan and Thai as daalaa.

In Thailand it is eaten in a kind of Thai salad preparation. In Karo, it is known as asam cekala (asam meaning 'sour'), and the flower buds, but more importantly the ripe seed pods, which are packed with small black seeds, are an essential ingredient of the Karo version of sayur asam, and are particularly suited to cooking fresh fish.

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

If you take part in the meme, please show an active link back to this site on your own blog post!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

FFF373 - SARACA

Saraca thaipingensis is medium sized, evergreen tree with a wide-spreading crown, which grows to a height of 7 m or more. Leaves are simple pinnate, large, with up to 8 pairs of opposite, 20-40 x 6-12 cm leaflets but without a terminal one. Young leaves are cream-coloured, hanging limply in tassels for a few days before they stiffen and turn green.

Flowers are 1-2 cm across, faintly fragrant, in dense bunches that arise from the trunk and main branches, making for an unusual and spectacular display. They are light pinkish yellow turning deep yellow with a dark crimson eye spot which darkens to blood-red. Most of the flowers in a cluster are functionally male, the others bisexual. Pods are large, 30-45 x 6-10 cm, thin, flat and leathery. They turn purple with maturity, splitting into two coiled halves to expose the flat, black seeds.

This is an attractive flowering tree for parks and gardens. When in bloom, the tree attracts masses of nectar feeding sunbirds like Purple-throated (Nectariniua sperata), Crimson (Aethopyga siparaja), Olive-backed (Cinnyris jugularis) and Brown-throated (Anthreptes malacensis) as well as the Asian Brown Flycatcher (Muscicapa dauurica). The tree is native to Peninsular Malaysia, but is cultivated in a number of tropical countries. The specimen here was photographed in the Singapore Botanic Gardens.

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

***If you take part in the meme, please show an active link back to this site on your own blog post!***

Add your own link to the Linky list below and say hello in a comment. Please visit other participants in the meme. Thank you for your loyalty and perseverance in linking up, it is appreciated!

FFF339 - BOUGAINVILLEA

Bougainvillea in the Nyctaginaceae family is a genus of thorny ornamental vines, bushes, and trees with flower-like spring leaves near its flowers. Different authors accept between four and 18 species in the genus. They are native plants of South America from Brazil west to Perú and south to southern Argentina (Chubut Province). Bougainvillea are also known as Bugambilia (Mexico).

The vine species grow anywhere from 1 to 12 m tall, scrambling over other plants with their spiky thorns. The thorns are tipped with a black, waxy substance. They are evergreen where rainfall occurs all year, or deciduous if there is a dry season. The leaves are alternate, simple ovate-acuminate, 4–13 cm long and 2–6 cm broad. The actual flower of the plant is small and generally white, but each cluster of three flowers is surrounded by three or six bracts with the bright colours associated with the plant, including pink, magenta, purple, red, orange, white, or yellow.

Bougainvillea glabra is sometimes referred to as "paper flower" because the bracts are thin and papery. The species here illustrated is Bougainvillea spectabilis. The first European to describe these plants was Philibert Commerçon, a botanist accompanying French Navy admiral and explorer Louis Antoine de Bougainville (hence the generic name), during his voyage of circumnavigation, and first published for him by Antoine Laurent de Jussieu in 1789.

It is possible that the first European to observe these plants was Jeanne Baré, Commerçon's lover and assistant whom he sneaked on board (despite regulations) disguised as a man (and who thus became the first woman to circumnavigate the globe). 

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

***If you take part in the meme, please show an active link back to this site on your own blog post!***

Add your own link to the Linky list below and say hello in a comment. Please visit other participants in the meme (I know I've been remiss in visiting all of your entries, however, I am currently very busy with work - I'll be back viewing all your entries as soon as I can!).

FFF324 - STEPHANOTIS

Stephanotis floribunda syn. S. jasminoides (Madagascar jasmine, waxflower, Hawaiian wedding flower, bridal wreath) is a species of flowering plant in the family Apocynaceae, native to Madagascar. Growing to 6 m or more, it is an evergreen woody climber with glossy, leathery oval leaves and clusters of pure white, waxy, intensely fragrant tubular flowers. Grown commercially, the trumpet-shaped blooms are in season year-round, provided they are given enough light and water, and are a popular component of bridal bouquets.

It is a vigorous climber, tough-stemmed, bearing dark green leathery leaves, which grow in pairs at regular intervals along the vine. It grows best in sunny, tropical conditions, or inside. They can grow from 2–6 meters, and are widely cultivated as garden plants. They can flourish for years, grown indoors on a sunny windowsill. They can be moved outside or into a greenhouse during the summer.

Few resources are published relating to the culture of this woody vine. In areas where the outside winter temperature drops below 4 °C, Stephanotis floribunda can be wintered over in greenhouse or household settings. During the summer growth season, this vine requires full sun, abundant water, high humidity and a balanced fertiliser. The vine will need to be trellised due to the vigorous growth habit. As temperatures begin to cool, pots should be brought indoors and placed in the sunniest location available. If the temperature in the home is on the cool side, the vines slow in their growth and thus should be watered very infrequently. Kept on the cool, sunny and dry side, the plants will "rest" until the outside temperatures begin to rise again, at which time they may be eased back into full sun.

They may continue to grow during this period, but growth is often slower and less vigorous. When the weather warms, moving the vines into a full sun exposure too quickly will result in leaf blister and sun burns on the plant, rendering it less attractive and damaging the plant's ability to produce food. In ideal conditions, these vines may be kept in bloom all year, but this is difficult in the home setting, especially where Australian possums, to which the leaves are highly attractive, are present.

This plant has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. Stephanotis floribunda appears to do best if root bound, thus it is best to not plant the vines in an over-sized container. The soil mixture used should have a high content of loam and peat moss with generous drainage material such as perlite or coarse sand. A citrus-type soil mixture works well in most home situations. A soil mixture that retains too much water will lead to root rot.

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

****If you take part in the meme, please show an active link back to this site on your own blog post!****

Add your own link to the Linky list below and say hello in a comment. Please visit other participants in the meme.

FFF261 - CONGO COCKATOO

Impatiens niamniamensis, common name Congo cockatoo or Parrot Impatiens, is a species of flowering plant in the family Balsaminaceae. It comes from tropical Africa and can be found from Cameroon through central and East Africa, up to Sudan, Kenya, Tanzania and Angola. It grows in moist and shaded bushlands, at an elevation of 350–2,400 metres above sea level.

Impatiens niamniamensis grows about 60–90 centimetres long. This evergreen, perennial species has an erect, succulent, brown stem resembling wood. Leaves are simple, ovate-oblong or elliptical, spirally arranged, about 10 cm long. This plant produces bright and colourful bird-shaped flowers (hence the common name Congo cockatoo) with a long, curled nectar spur. These unusual flowers are usually scarlet red and yellow and can reach a length of about 3.5 centimetres. Fruits are explosive capsules of about 14–16 mm.

These plants can tolerate temperatures as low as about 2˚C,  but they won’t survive even a light frost. Temperatures of 7˚C and above are ideal for this tender perennial. It prefers a location in full shade, especially if you live in a warm, sunny climate. Although the plant will grow in partial sunlight in a cool climate, it won’t tolerate bright sunlight or hot summers. The plant performs best in rich soil, so dig in plenty of compost or well-rotted manure before planting. Water the plant regularly to keep the soil consistently moist but never soggy. As a general rule, one weekly watering is sufficient unless the weather is hot, but always water immediately if the foliage begins to look wilted.

A layer of bark chips or other organic mulch keeps the roots moist and cool. Pinch the growing tips of newly planted to encourage full, bushy growth. Cut the plant back by about 10-15 cm if it begins to look tired and leggy in midsummer. Fertilise the plant twice during the growing season, using a general purpose liquid or dry fertiliser. Don’t overfeed because too much fertiliser creates a full, bushy plant at the expense of blooms. Always water immediately because fertiliser may scorch the roots.

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

****If you take part in the meme, please show an active link back to this site on your own blog post!****

FFF252 - DIEFFENBACHIA

Dieffenbachia is a genus of tropical flowering plants in the family Araceae. It is native to the New World Tropics from Mexico and the West Indies south to Argentina. It is widely cultivated as an ornamental, especially as a house plant, and has become naturalised on a few tropical islands. Dieffenbachia prefers medium sunlight, moderately dry soil and average home temperatures of 17–27 °C. Indoors it should be watered about twice a week.

Dieffenbachia is a perennial herbaceous plant with straight stem, simple and alternate leaves containing white spots and flecks, making it attractive as indoor foliage. Species in this genus are popular as houseplants because of their tolerance of shade. The flowers are green/white and have the typical spathe of arums. The common name, "dumb canes" refers to the poisoning effect of raphides, which can cause temporary inability to speak.

Dieffenbachia was named by Heinrich Wilhelm Schott, director of the Botanical Gardens in Vienna to honour his head gardener Joseph Dieffenbach (1796–1863).

With a minimum temperature tolerance of +5 °C, Dieffenbachia must be grown indoors in temperate areas. They need light, but filtered sunlight through a window is usually sufficient. They also need moderately moist soil, which should be regularly fertilised with a proprietary houseplant fertiliser. Leaves will periodically roll up and fall off to make way for new leaves. Yellowing of the leaves is generally a sign of problematic conditions, such as a nutrient deficiency in the soil. Dieffenbachia respond well to hot temperatures and dry climates.

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

****If you take part in the meme, please show an active link back to this site on your own blog post!****

FFF250 - CLIVIA MINIATA

Clivia is a genus of monocot flowering plants native to southern Africa. They are from the family Amaryllidaceae, subfamily Amaryllidoideae. Common names are Natal lily or bush lily. They are herbaceous evergreen plants, with green, strap-like leaves. Individual flowers are more or less bell-shaped, occurring in umbels on a stalk above the foliage; colours typically range from yellow through orange to red. Many cultivars exist, some with variegated leaf patterns. Species of Clivia are found only in South Africa and Swaziland. They are typically forest undergrowth plants, adapted to low light (with the exception of C. mirabilis from the Western Cape).

Clivia miniata grows into large clumps and is surprisingly water wise. It is also reportedly naturalised in Mexico. It is a popular plant for shady areas and is commonly seen growing in older established suburbs in most Australian states. It is also popular in New Zealand, Japan, China and southern parts of the USA , particularly California. It grows to a height of about 45 cm, and various varieties have flowers that are red, orange or yellow, sometimes with a faint, but very sweet perfume.

Shown here is the 'Miniata Sahin Twin' cultivar. They are called Twins as they often flower twice per year, once in Autumn and then again in Spring. It is a low growing, broadleaf variety, ideal for growing on a patio, used as a tub specimen or planting in the ground in a shady position. This variety will grow to a height of 45 cm and 70 cm wide. Their orange clustered flowers are heavy bloomers and are followed by attractive, red, berry-like fruit. Sahin Twin are considered as one of the appealing orange flowering clivias in the world. It is an ideal plant for a shady area or can be used as a indoor plant.

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

****If you take part in the meme, please show an active link back to this site on your own blog post!****

FFF245 - AEONIUM

The genus Aeonium includes at least 35 species of tender, rosetted, leaf succulents mainly from the Canary Islands but also found in Madeira, Morocco and Ethiopia. These succulent plants vary in size from small herbs almost flat against the ground to woody shrubs with stout basal stems supporting one or more disc-shaped rosettes, giving them a distinctive appearance. The generic name comes from the Greek "aionion" = everliving.

Flowers are panicles of numerous small yellow or white florets. Some Aeonium species are monocarpic. Natural hybrids are common and there are many attractive horticultural hybrids and cutivars. The sap of Aeonium lindleyi is a traditional antidote to the toxic sap of Euphorbias e.g. E. canariensis. Aeonium includes the former genera Greenonium and Greenovia (Mountain Roses), which may be seen occasionally on plant labels and in old books. Many species were originally classified as Sempervivums.

Aeonium undulatum, shown here, is a succulent, evergreen subshrub, is one of the larger species of Aeonium with the rosette often over a metre from the ground on a single stem. Other rosettes do not branch off this stem (normally) but grow from the bottom, unlike most aeoniums. The plant is monocarpic so the flowering stem will die when it flowers which is normally after about 5 years. The specific epithet undulatum comes from the Latin unda, meaning "wave" and refers to the wavy leaves. Synonyms include Sempervivum undulatum and Sempervivum youngianum. The common name "saucer plant" is applied to this and other plants of a similar habit. In temperate regions this plant is grown under glass. It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

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

****If you take part in the meme, please show an active link back to this site on your own blog post!****

FFF237 - BILLBERGIA

Billbergia is a genus of flowering plants in the family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Bromelioideae. The genus, named for the Swedish botanist, zoologist, and anatomist Gustaf Johan Billberg, is divided into two subgenera: Billbergia and Helicodea. They are native to forest and scrub, up to an altitude of 1,700 m, in southern Mexico, the West Indies, Central America and South America, with many species endemic to Brazil. They are rosette-forming, evergreen perennials, usually epiphytic in habit, often with brilliantly coloured flowers.

The cultivar shown here is Billbergia 'Muriel Waterman' that was hybridised by the great American collector and enthusiast, Mulfor Foster, and introduced in 1946. The stout tubular rosette, is about 7.5 cm in diameter, opens out to a funnel at the top of some six to eight leaves. These are rose-maroon with transverse silver bands, making it one of the most colourful foliage billbergias. The showy flower spike consists of long pink bracts and striking blue flowers.

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

****If you take part in the meme, please show an active link back to this site on your own blog post!****