Mulch Love
A friend once commented that this shrub looked like a weed. Wait ’til it flowers, I said.
While, its just started flowering and it is spectacular. It has numberous clusters of small, pink flowers, which the bees are going wild for. The problem is, I’ve forgotten its name and can’t find it in my gardening books – even though I know I’ve seen it in one before and know that it is indigenous.
Anyone recognise it and can supply us with some information?
I couldn’t find this plant in my succulent book so all the information I have is anecdotal. I think its called the Kudu Lily and from the Karoo. I’m guessing it got its name from the fact that the kudu likes to eat its flower?
It has a spiny stem and dark, waxy leaves which it loses in winter.
One of my all time favourite indigenous plants, and also very popular with landscapers in Durban, is the Wild Garlic (Tulbaghia violacea or Isihaqa). It grows in clumps of grey-green, strappy leaves that smell strongly of garlic when bruised or, in fact, even when watered. Beautiful purple flowers appear at the end of stalks throughout summer, and look particularly impressive when grouped together.
A hardy, drought-resistant plant, wild garlic requires little attention once settled in your garden. The flowers form seed-pods which are very easy to propagate and wild garlic will self-seed itself if left to its own devices. As the plant grows, larger clumps can also be divided to form new plants.
This plant is also extensively used in traditional medicine – to treat asthma, rheumatism, colds and tuberculosis. In permaculture, wild garlic is planted among vegetable crops to keep pests away, in particular aphids, and the young leaves can also be eaten as a type of spinach. In rural areas of KwaZulu-Natal, wild garlic is planted around homesteads to protect them from snakes. Lastly, and I have no proof that this works, the root of the plant can be used as a love charm by men to attract girls.
What an amazing and useful plant!
Here is a picture of my cactus flower which only lasted a day. It had a slight fragrance. Does anyone have more details on the plant or flower? I am interested to know if it is indigenous.
My agapanthus africanus (Kleinbloulelie, uBani) are in bloom. They really are great plants as, for most of the year, they just fade into the foliage and then, come summer, they shoot up these magnificant flowers that attract a variety of insects. The name is from the Greek agape (love) and anthos (flower) – superb! They … Read more