Syncarpha vestita
The Cape Snow, or White Everlasting, when flowering is one of the most conspicuous plants from South Africa’s fynbos biome, growing in well-drained sandy or rocky soils from the Cape Peninsula to the area of George in the Garden Route. The plants have a very dense growth form up to 1m tall and grow rapidly from seeds after a fire, forming thick stands of plants that flower profusely from October to January and make for beautiful scenery. The tiny purplish flowers, located on a disk surrounded by the eye-catchingly bright white bracts, are pollinated by several kinds of beetles and the inflorescences last for a very long time, even after being cut. Within about 7 years the plants start dying; by then the surrounding vegetation has grown taller than it already and they’re no longer as obviously seen. The seeds then remain dormant in the ground until a fire restarts the process. Cape Snow flowers are used commercially, being popular in flower arrangements (and often dyed different colours).
They are beautiful!
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Even more than a photograph can capture, Kathy
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Dit is ‘n pragtige blommetjie (met die mooiste naam). Ons het hulle baie op ons staptogte in en rondom Kaapstad gesien. Mooi foto’s!
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Dankie, Corna! Hoewel hulle so volop is kan mens nie anders as om hulle te waardeer nie.
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It is always fun seeing the flowers you highlight on your blog 🙂
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Thank you very much, Anne!
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Stem saam met Aletta, ken hul ook as sewe jaartjies. Dit moet ‘n pragtige gesig wees om so baie te sien blom.
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Dis n prentjie wat my altyd sal bybly, Ineke
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Ek onthou die blommetjies van my kinderjare af. Ons het in George gebly end dit Sewejaartjies genoem. Dit is pragtig!
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Dis werklik iets pragtigs om hulle so die veld vol te sien staan!
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Beslis💮💮
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They look spectacular, Dries.
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It’s a sight to behold, Tracy!
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What a beautifully unique flower, Dries. Is it strange for a fire to start in a well-drained area or are these contained fires?
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Wild fire – started by falling rocks, lightning, extreme heat etc – is an essential element of the fynbos ecosystem, Lois, and it is amazing how the plants have actually adapted to use it to their advantage!
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