Erythrina lysistemon

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IN PRAISE OF INDIGENOUS FLOWERS

I am always grateful for the indigenous plants that flower in the wild and brighten up the countryside. There are over 158 species of Delosperma or Skaapvygie (often called ice plants abroad) growing especially in the eastern parts of South Africa. This is one of them that occasionally appears in my garden. Others grow along our highways, creating carpets of white, pink or purple.

There are a number of pompon trees (Dais cotinifolia) growing in our garden – many of them self-seeded – that put on a beautiful show from November onwards. One can easily spot the trees in bloom on the fringes of indigenous forests all over the Eastern Cape landscape.

Another tree that delights the eye during our hottest months is the Vachellia karroo. It is also known as sweet thorn – certainly the fragrance of its yellow pompon-like flowers is most pleasant. Several of these trees grow at the top of the hill where I live.

Much further afield from where I am are the wild foxgloves (Ceratotheca triloba) which often grow in disturbed places throughout the eastern part of South Africa and can often be seen growing along roadsides in Mpumalanga and in KwaZulu-Natal, for example.

I often feature clivias (Clivia miniata) growing in my garden. It is wonderful seeing them blooming in the wild too, mainly in the partial shade of forested areas along the coastal areas of eastern South Africa.

Then there is this Erythrina lysistemon, also known as a coral tree, which I photograph almost every year as it grows only a few blocks away from where I live.

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FILLED WITH CHEER

On this beautifully bright, sunny day let me share some of the things which bring me cheer:

A lingering bright nasturtium.

Sunshine highlighting a leaf.

The excitement of seeing a lion drinking early in the morning.

Scarlet blooms of an Erythrina lysistemon.

Seeing an African Spoonbill.

A view of the Winterberg.

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RED IS THE COLOUR OF THE FESTIVE SEASON

Let us start off in the right direction and enjoy some reddish bougainvillea along our way:

We stop in to see some beautiful flowers in remembrance of those who paid the ultimate sacrifice:

Just around the corner from my home are these Erythrina lysistemon:

Some food is required, so visit a fish market along the coast:

As tea is welcome at any time of the day, I regard this as one of the most perfect Advent calendars I have ever seen:

Finally, a stained glass window to remind us of one of the many layers of this festive season:

Wishing all of my readers happiness, cheerful company, good food and a pleasant festive season.

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TWO ERYTHRINAS

The genus Erythrina contains over a hundred species in different regions of the world. Six of these are indigenous to South Africa and two of them are common in the part of the Eastern Cape where I live. During our recent trip to the Western Cape and back, I was struck by the number of Erythrinas that are still in bloom. The smaller Erythrina lysistemon is probably the most widespread and was commonly seen at various places along our journey. This tree is growing next to the N1 just outside of Grahamstown:

These trees flower prolifically during the winter and early spring and brighten up the countryside:

The scarlet flowers are very eye-catching with their relatively long petals that enclose the stamens:

Growing next to this was an example of the other fairly common species, the Erythrina caffra. Its flowers are more open and have an orange hue. Note the backward curving petals and exposed stamens:

Three of these trees grow in my back garden, their pretty blossoms also appearing during winter and into the spring:

The flowers of both these trees attract a variety of insects and birds, providing much-needed sustenance during these ‘lean’ seasons of the year.

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FIRST STOP NANAGA

For any journey south from the town where I live the first stop must surely be the Nanaga Farm Stall off the N2. I extolled the virtues of this popular place earlier this year, so you won’t be surprised to know that this is where we stopped for an early breakfast before tackling the long road ahead of us.

This farm stall is not only well known for its delicious pies and other things to eat and drink. Its pleasant surroundings, luscious lawns, indigenous plants and an array of picnic tables make it a very pleasant place to take a break from driving. We sometimes see a cat or two, but this time were greeted by a pair of ducks that waddled quietly between the tables.

If you take the time to look around, you will become aware of several birds in the bushes, on the ground, or dipping into the water at the edge of a small pond. Some of the birds – like this Pied Starling – make their presence felt by scuttling towards you on the ground, flying in to land on your table, or perching on the back of a metal chair with a sidelong look to see if you have dropped any crumbs from the delicious pastry of the pie in your hand.

Then there are weavers, such as this Southern Masked Weaver, that take time off from chasing each other over the garden or building their nests in the fever trees to emulate the starlings and arrive to see what pickings are on offer.

More subtle, or perhaps this is because they are less flamboyant looking, are the small flocks of Cape Sparrows that hop about on the lawn or scour the ground around the tables.

The garden is filled with indigenous trees and flowers: definitely a topic for another post. However, as they still boast beautiful flowers alongside the spring flush of green leaves, I have to leave you with this beautiful sight of a young Erythrina lysistemon, one of several planted in this beautiful setting.

Feeling refreshed, we tackled the next section of our long journey much further south.