Tag Archives: Africa

Drosanthemum micans

EASY TO GROW bringer of sunshine. EVERBLOOMING here along the coast-even in Winter, its form is tight & compact with small, dense, bright-green foliage 2.5’ tall & about 3’ across. Smothering itself in golden centered, red-tipped sunniest-yellow, many-rayed blooms 2” across, it’s one of those big-bang-for-the-buck fellows. Native to S. Africa & highly drought tolerant, it does look best with …

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Nemeisa

Nemesia  is a genus of annuals, perennials and sub-shrubs which are native to sandy coasts or disturbed ground in South Africa. Numerous hybrids have been selected, and the annual cultivars are popular with gardeners as bedding plants. In temperate regions the annual cultivars are usually treated as half-hardy bedding plants, sown from seed in heat and planted out after all …

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Ixia

Ixia are grown from corms native to South Africa (which has the same Mediterranean climate as California). They have grass-like leaves and stellar flowers of blue, purple, red or white. They come into bloom from spring into summer. Some of the common names for Ixia are Corn lily, African Iris, Wand flower, and African Corn lily. They make excellent cut …

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Ornithogalum

Bring a touch of Africa to your yard with the brilliant orange Ornithogalum dubium. Commonly called star of Bethlehem, orange star flower, snake flower or chincherinchee, this South African bulb is hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture planting zones 7 through 11, and can be enjoyed as a tender bulb or a potted plant elsewhere. The plant grows up to …

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African Plants

Gloriosa lily

Sunnyvale has a Mediterrean climate. This type of climate is defined by mild, wet winters and warm to hot, dry summers. It is the rainfall pattern that makes the Mediterranean climate distinct. Very often, places with warm summers and mild winters receive large amounts of precipitation during the summer months. Summers in Mediterranean climates are distinctively dry. The Mediterranean climate …

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Climbing Aloe

Climbing Aloe (Aloiampelos ciliaris) is a fast-growing succulent from the Eastern Cape of South Africa. It’s named “ciliaris” due to the white, hair-like teeth appearing around the edges of the leaves and stems. Aloiampelos ciliaris belongs to the aloiampelos genus, which includes six other species of climbing aloe plants. Aloe ciliaris plants are part of the Asphodelaceae family. Aloiampelos Ciliaris …

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Cape Flower

Cape Flower (Nerine bowdenii) is a brilliant pink, fall-flowering bulb, which will flower for years once they have settled in. Planting If planting in the soil, it is recommended to start the bulbs in a 4 inch pot in a mix of 50% compost and 50% loam based potting soil. When planting, make sure that the roots are spread out …

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Lion’s Tail

Leonotis leonurus, also known as lion’s tail and wild dagga, is a plant species in the Lamiaceae (mint) family. The plant is a broadleaf evergreen large shrub native to South Africa and southern Africa, where it is very common. It is known for its medicinal and mild psychoactive properties. The main psychoactive component of Leonotis leonurus is leonurine. The shrub …

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Plumbago

Plumbago can be grown as a bush or a climber-vine. You don’t need much room – I was able to plant it in a 3-inch trench next to a wall. Every winter I cut it back to two feet high. Every year it needs several prunings to keep it from overtopping the 8-foot walls in my Sunnyvale garden. The generic name, …

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Clerodendrum ugandense

New to our Sunnyvale garden in 2019 is Clerodendrum ugandense (aka Butterfly Bush). Note: There are over a dozen different plants with the common name of Butterfly Bush. Clerodendrum is an open, evergreen shrub reaching 6 to 10 feet tall by 6 feet wide with 4 inch long dark green glossy leaves. From spring through fall appear the delicate and …

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