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From Moraea Species Five on Monday 28th of September 2026 05:21:09 PM PDT
Moraea intermedia Goldblatt & J.C. Manning described by Goldblatt and Manning in 2010 is a rare species found in open sandy places among granite outcrops in Namaqualand near Springbok. It is a member of the small section Tubiflora. Photos taken in Namaqualand by Cameron McMaster September 2011.
From Eucomis Two on Sunday 27th of September 2026 05:21:08 PM PDT
Eucomis autumnalis (Mill.) Chitt. from southeastern southern Africa is found on rocky, grassy slopes and has white to greenish flowers and flowers summer into fall. It grows in a variety of habitats and has many forms. Height range: 6-30 cm high. It is primarily found in summer rainfall grassland from altitudes 1000 mm to 2500 mm and rainfall varying from 500 to 1200 mm per year. Some populations are in shady forested areas, others in dry Karoo shrub land. There are three subspecies. The first photo was taken by David Fenwick and the second taken by Paul Tyerman of a dwarf white flowering plant David speculates is also this species. The third photo below was taken by Arnold Trachtenberg. The last three photos were taken at Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden by Bob Rutemoeller and Mary Sue Ittner where there was a mass display of flowers in January 2010.
The first three photos are of pot-grown plants from specific areas, including one that shows the detail of a flower. The first, the Kei Bolo form of Eucomis autumnalis is the latest to flower - flowering in late April to May. It occurs naturally at altitudes of 700 m in the transition between Valley Thicket and Grassland on the slopes above the Kei River Valley in the Stutterheim district of the Eastern Cape. It is found between rocks and in rock crevices, protected from harsh sun and wind. The Triple Streams form of E. autumnalis pictured in the second two photos comes from glades within patches of Afromontane forest in the Stutterheim district of the Eastern Cape where it grows in mottled shade. Photos from Cameron McMaster.
Photos below were taken at Gaika's Kop of the typical robust form of Eucomis autumnalis growing in open grassland in full sun at altitudes above 1000 m. Photos 1 and 2 were taken by Cameron McMaster. Photos 3-4 were taken by Christopher Whitehouse January 2012.
Photo 1 below was taken by Cameron McMaster at Quanti and photo 2 at Maclear. Photos 3-4 were taken by Mary Sue Ittner at Naude's Nek.
Eucomis autumnalis ssp. amaryllidifolia (Baker) Reyneke is a rarer subspecies that produces reasonably thick ovate prostrate leaves in a rosette fashion and has white flowers. Photo by Cameron McMaster taken at Waainek in the Eastern Cape.
Eucomis autumnalis ssp. autumnalis, syn. Eucomis undulata Aiton, forms a dense rosette of strap-like leaves with undulating edges and white or green flowers on spikes around 60 cm. high. Tony Avent reports that this taxa has leaves with an unusual texture that feels like rubber. Eucomis autumnalis ssp. clavata (Baker) Reyneke grows to 30 cm and is found in damp grassland, on slopes, or at the foot of cliffs over quite a wide area of the Drakensberg, including KwaZulu-Natal and Lesotho. It is also found in the Eastern Cape. Leaves of this species have margins that are crisped and wavy. The creamy green flowers are on a stout stem, club-shaped and tightly packed. Photos taken by Mary Sue Ittner at Gaika's Kop and Naude's Nek in the Eastern Cape.
From Diplarrena on Saturday 26th of September 2026 05:21:05 PM PDT
Diplarrena moraea Labill. from Victoria, Tasmania, and New South Wales, has white, white and yellow, or sometimes white with yellow and some purple, honey-scented flowers. It grows en masse at times but is often seen as single plants on the roadside in rural areas. Height range: to about 1 m. The first two photos were taken by Beth in 2002 in her Seattle, Washington garden. The next three photos were taken by Rob Hamilton of the flower, the plant, and a mass on a grassy bank above his home in Southern Tasmania.
From Disa Two on Friday 25th of September 2026 05:21:05 PM PDT
Disa bracteata Sw. is found in moist, open, sandy places on flats and in mountains and in disturbed grassland and roadsides in the Western and Eastern Cape, South Africa. Growing from 15 to 50 cm, it has many small greenish tinged maroon flowers in a dense spike and blooms September to November. Photos were taken by Cameron McMaster near Napier in the Overberg.
From Favorite Yellow Flowered Bulbs Four on Thursday 24th of September 2026 05:02:10 PM PDT
Triteleia ixioides -- many different wonderful subspecies for long bloom, special mention to Triteleia ixioides ssp. scabra 'Tiger', Mary Sue Ittner, Northern California. Triteleia ixioides 'High Sierra Form' -- Jane McGary, Oregon. Triteleia ixioides ssp. scabra -- pale yellow flowers in early summer, Jim Shields, Indiana.
From South African Oxalis Seven on Wednesday 23rd of September 2026 05:05:13 PM PDT
Oxalis nortieri T.M.Salter is an acaulescent species that occurs sporadically in clay soils in the eastern Little Karoo. Growing up to 10 cm, this species has leaves with one succulent elliptic-obovate leaflet and one dark pink flower with a yellow center per stalk. Plants flower in winter (June).
Photo from the book Plants of the Klein Karoo courtesy of Jan and Anne Lise Schutte-Vlok.
From Uvularia on Tuesday 22nd of September 2026 05:18:30 PM PDT
Uvularia grandiflora Sm. has yellow flowers and blooms spring to summer. It is found from Canada to the southeastern United States. Common names are bellwort or merrybells. Height: to about 2 ft. The first two photos are by John Lonsdale and the remaining photos by David Pilling. Photo 5 compares the form 'Pallida' (right) with the usual variety, and photo 6 is of a flower of 'Pallida'
Photo 1 is of roots; photos 2-3 are of new seed pods that may develop for a long time, yet not contain any seed. Photo 4 shows a ripe pod splitting and photo 5 shows the globose seeds that are 6 mm in diameter with elaiosomes to attract ants. Photo 6 shows a shoot for the next year appearing at the bottom of a stem in September, just before the leaves turn brown and the stems die back.
Photograph 1 is of the seeds collected in 2013 germinating in mid summer 2014. Photograph 2 shows a resulting seedling in May 2015, its first year of growing leaves.
From Pamianthe on Monday 21st of September 2026 05:16:44 PM PDT
Pamianthe peruviana Stapf is the most commonly grown species. It grows as an epiphyte on tree branches in moist forests in Peru. It prefers moderate temperatures, and can do well as a houseplant if grown like an orchid in a very open mix. It is not tolerant of extreme heat or cold. The flowers are produced in early winter and are on very short stems, each producing a pair of large scented flowers. The flowering tube is an amazing 20-25 cm long, and must need a very specialized pollinator. Each flower has a central corolla, and opens a greenish yellow which lightens to pure white, measuring about 15 cm across. Reports of self-compatibility is mixed where it seems that in the proper age, growing conditions during flowering and genetic clone, this species would be able to self. A successfully pollinated flower produces a pod that takes 15 months to ripen. The bulb has the appearance of a leek, with a long neck formed by the bases of the leaves, and needs to be grown on the surface of the mix. Bulbs will naturally try to grow horizontally, with the long arching leaves spreading downwards. Height: 40 cm. Photos 1-3 by Diana Chapman. Photos 4-5 were taken by Hans Joschko.
There was a discussion (starting here) about the length of the flowering tube and pollinators. Photo 3 above was added to clarify; the ovary is the darker green thickened area at the end of the floral tube. The photos below were taken by Nhu Nguyen showing the flowers, scale of the flowers, and the habit of the plant.
The photos below were taken by Uluwehi Knecht showing vegetative characteristics of the plant.
From Macropidia on Sunday 20th of September 2026 05:08:30 PM PDT
Macropidia fuliginosa, also known as the "Black Kangaroo Paw", grows in kwongan and woodland in lateritic soil. It has fans 20 to 50 cm long with a flowering stem to 1.5 m and flowers 5-6 cm. It is hard to come by outside of Australia. There is a magnificent bed of these growing in Kings Park and Botanic Gardens in Perth, Australia. I couldn't believe it when this became available from an Australian native plant specialty nursery here in Southern California. So I bought one. It is sending up scapes now and the fuzz on the buds are really and truly black (as opposed to a really dark purple or red). I think it is very striking. Photos taken October 2006 by Lee Poulsen.
Photos taken in Kings Park, Perth, October 2007 by Bob Rutemoeller and Mary Sue Ittner. It is a little difficult to photograph the bed as the flowers blend together into a mass of color.
From Worsleya on Saturday 19th of September 2026 05:00:25 PM PDT
Worsleya procera (Lem.) Traub, syn. W. rayneri (Hook.f.) Traub & Moldenke, is one of the most sought after and rarest of the bulb world. It is native to Brazil. In its native habitat these plants grow on steep granite cliffs/well drained area, fully exposed to wind, rain and sunshine, constantly subjected to mist from waterfalls. It produces large clusters of gorgeous lilac-blue flowers, speckled mauve within, blooming in mid-summer on stems up to 1.5 meters tall. Plants are not truly self-fertile. Seedlings produced from selfing do not survive very long . Good seeds will last about 9-10 months (Terry Hatch).
It is very exacting in its requirements, including potting medium, temperature, sunlight and water. A position in bright light, not necessarily in full sun, but morning sun, would suit it best (Bill Dijk). Various growers have success with different growing media, but this is dependent on where the bulb is grown. In the US, one of the best media is pumice. A detailed, illustrated article on how to grow W. procera in pure pumice can be found here. It was written by Dr. Paul Resslar of Wesleyan College.
Lee Poulsen posted to the PBS list a description of the climate where this plant grows; see also Organ Mountains Climate Graphs.
To grow from seeds, either float the seeds in water or sow them directly under a thin layer of the medium. Daryl Geoghegan uses 80%25 spent orchid bark (1/2" size) and 20%25 white sand. He leaves the plant in a breezy location and waters them daily. Germination takes about 3-10 weeks at 18-24 °C.
Seedlings and adult bulbs do not go through a dormancy period and will continuously grow throughout the year. Use very fibrous soil, slightly acidic. Water with rain water only. Allow the pots to dry out thoroughly between each watering (Thompson and Morgan catalog).
Photo #1 was taken by Bill Dijk and photos #2-4 were taken by Lee Poulsen of a clone which was grown in the mountains of Veracruz, Mexico. Lee's photos were taken in September 2004. Photo 5 of a bulb by Pontus Wallstén.
Photos #1-3 were taken in situ by Nicolás Garcia on steep granitic morros that surround Petropolis, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Photos #4, 5 by Alan Meerow at the same location.
