South African Plants

[Michaelangelica]

OK South Africa, now is the time to pay the rent!

How come my pelagoniums grow like a vine out of the pot and hardly ever flower?

What is the secret with Gardenias.?

How do you kill Bitu bush that has taken over our coastline ( another bright Australian Idea like Cane Toads)

I know we were joined at the hip at one stage, but brother this is getting silly!

Most of the 'weeds' at my local lake are S. African plants

[jab2]

Originally Posted by Michaelangelica

Most of the 'weeds' at my local lake are S. African plants

That's what you get from using our flowers and turn it into a nice money spinner while we were still sleeping.

But then we also used you Hakias to plant hedges, and you do not want to see how invasive they are in our mountains. I believe you also have a huge problem with Arum lilies.

On the Pelargoniums, which species, because some have rather tatty structures? They normally should stress a bit and not get too much water.

Bitu (Bitou) Bush. Nice, if under control. I oversee our indigenous garden at work. Our premises are bordered by natural veld and the bitou (and your Black Wattle) are seeding themselves as if there are no end to the seed pool. The problem with both species are that they totally shade out other seedlings and leave barren soil under them. The best way is hacking them out I guess and get the seedling early. Herbicide will kill all the other species and normally does nothing to the "Target" species.

The secret of Gardenias, I guess is time. The South African ones also like a slight acidic soil, it seems and low humidity stun the growth tips and sometimes kill them. I planted a Gardenia Thumbergia some 10 years ago and it is now only about 6 feet height and has only started flowering last season with three flowers. The flowers wilt very fast and it did not set fruit though. It might be that they need cross pollination.

[Michaelangelica]

[quote]

Originally Posted by jab2

That's what you get from using our flowers and turn it into a nice money spinner while we were still sleeping.

Don't worry we now import much of our eucalyptus Oil from China.
I think the flower growers are doing well with proteas though

I believe you also have a huge problem with Arum lilies.

You often see clumps of them not abig problem where I live mainly various suculents that produce millions of babies.

On the Pelargoniums, which species, because some have rather tatty structures? They normally should stress a bit and not get too much water.

just something i knocked off from aneighbours garden, Nice flower when it flowers but it jumps out of the pot and grows in avery serpentine way. i do water it daily so i might hold off abit. Too much fertiliser too perhaps?

Bitu (Bitou) Bush. Nice, if under control.

it is an environmental disaster. Originally planted to hold coastal sand dunes. It often grows into vast bushes 7-8 foot high and 10 foot wide. Mostly they spray it here but they are not winning. I think someone is looking for a biological control (we have such great success with those)

I oversee our indigenous garden at work.

Nice work if you can get it
Our premises are bordered by natural veld and the bitou

(and your Black Wattle) are seeding themselves as if there are no end to the seed pool.

What's veld?
Yes some wattle seed is edible ( if you are starving).
Many produce heaps of seed that the ants eat and generally they only germinate after fire (even smoke will make them germinate-sometimes nurseries sell "smoky water" to help break native seed dorminancy- nature is amazing)

The problem with both species are that they totally shade out other seedlings and leave barren soil under them. The best way is hacking them out I guess and get the seedling early. Herbicide will kill all the other species and normally does nothing to the "Target" species.

Impossible to pull out by hand, but yes you are right.

The secret of Gardenias, I guess is time. The South African ones also like a slight acidic soil, it seems and low humidity stun the growth tips and sometimes kill them. I planted a Gardenia Thumbergia some 10 years ago and it is now only about 6 feet height and has only started flowering last season with three flowers. The flowers wilt very fast and it did not set fruit though. It might be that they need cross pollination.

G. Thunbergia is a very rare plant here. I grew some at my nursery (now retired) but sold them for peanuts as people didn't like the scatty foliage. Those in the know grabbed them. Apparently they can only be propagated by seed -not cuttings (?)
It takes many years (8+?) for them to flower and many more years to reach their full magnificence. I must go and check on the one I planted 15 years ago, one day. It is now about 4M high.

I am growing G radicans, magnifica (Professor Pucci), an old single and florida. My soil pH is all over the place. I may have upset a couple of G. florida with some charcoal. it is impossible to buy good English peat now. (not environmentally the thing any more) So I have to do with "coco peat" which is rubbish. How acid do they like it? Are they heavy feeders?
Do you have peaty soils in SA? Where do they grow naturally?

[jab2]

Originally Posted by Michaelangelica

just something i knocked off from aneighbours garden, Nice flower when it flowers but it jumps out of the pot and grows in avery serpentine way. i do water it daily so i might hold off abit. Too much fertiliser too perhaps?

Sound like it is "living too good". The native species in my area (Southern Cape coast) grow on very poor acidic sandy soil and thus do not get an abundance of nutrients. It is also a winter rainfall area and can be water stressed during the summers with temperature going to the low 40 deg Centigrade. Some of our flowers also used daylight length as a reproductive trigger. Not sure if Pelargonium does though. Is your neighbor's plant flowering?

Originally Posted by Michaelangelica

Nice work if you can get it

Too bad it's not my core work, but something that was past on to me due to my interest in our indigenous flora and which I do for free after hours.

Originally Posted by Michaelangelica

What's veld?

Veld is an Afrikaans word that is now used in South African English. It is loosely translated meaning field, as in "Walking in the fields to view the flowers". Whereas field however describe the location, veld describe the flora of that location like in "The sheep has got good veld to graze". It can however describe a location like "We live in the Sandveld". Sandveld, being a region on the West Coast of South Africa which have very sandy soil.

Originally Posted by Michaelangelica

Many produce heaps of seed that the ants eat and generally they only germinate after fire (even smoke will make them germinate-sometimes nurseries sell "smoky water" to help break native seed dorminancy- nature is amazing)

We also used smoke to trigger germination in a lot of our Cape Fynbos species.

Originally Posted by Michaelangelica

G. Thunbergia is a very rare plant here. I grew some at my nursery (now retired) but sold them for peanuts as people didn't like the scatty foliage. Those in the know grabbed them. Apparently they can only be propagated by seed -not cuttings (?)
It takes many years (8+?) for them to flower and many more years to reach their full magnificence. I must go and check on the one I planted 15 years ago, one day. It is now about 4M high.

I bought G. Thumbergia because of the fruit that looks similar to a kiwi fruit and the nice silvery bark and symmetrical placement of side branches. The leaves was just the detail on the "canvas". Unfortunately I have sold the house to a family member and they do not have the same love for gardening, so I am not sure what kind of water and feeding regime it is on. I can see however that the growth tips are suffering immensely due to low humidity and possibly too little water.

Originally Posted by Michaelangelica

I am growing G radicans, magnifica (Professor Pucci), an old single and florida. My soil pH is all over the place. I may have upset a couple of G. florida with some charcoal. it is impossible to buy good English peat now. (not environmentally the thing any more) So I have to do with "coco peat" which is rubbish. How acid do they like it? Are they heavy feeders?
Do you have peaty soils in SA? Where do they grow naturally?

Not sure of the pH range, but know it is on the acidic side. I will check tonight if I can find some values. Our fynbos (Ericaceae/Proteaceae etc) grow on poor sandy soil coming from weathered Table Mountain Sandstone of very low pH. At my previous house (where G. Thum. is), I had great success on neutral to slight alkaline soil with them by giving regular doses of Alum and alternate it with very dilute sulphuric acid. The alum is longer lasting, but I am did not want to get into Aluminum poisoning problems.

[Michaelangelica]

[quote]

Originally Posted by jab2

Sound like it is "living too good". The native species in my area (Southern Cape coast) grow on very poor acidic sandy soil and thus do not get an abundance of nutrients. It is also a winter rainfall area and can be water stressed during the summers with temperature going to the low 40 deg Centigrade. Some of our flowers also used daylight length as a reproductive trigger. Not sure if Pelargonium does though. Is your neighbor's plant flowering?

No it's not, when it does occasionally flower it is lovely
Are you saying MINUS 40? C?

Veld is an Afrikaans word that is now used in South African English. It is loosely translated meaning field, as in "Walking in the fields to view the flowers". Whereas field however describe the location, veld describe the flora of that location like in "The sheep has got good veld to graze". It can however describe a location like "We live in the Sandveld". Sandveld, being a region on the West Coast of South Africa which have very sandy soil.

Arhgh !! you mean "The Bush" in Australian.

We also used smoke to trigger germination in a lot of our Cape Fynbos species.

Interesting .
Here it is thought that 40,000 + years of Aboriginal fire "farming" has adapted natives to fire.
Is there the suggestion of the same process in SA?

Unfortunately I have sold the house to a family member and they do not have the same love for gardening, so I am not sure what kind of water and feeding regime it is on. I can see however that the growth tips are suffering immensely due to low humidity and possibly too little water.

Bloody sad, me too, you should never go back to your "old" garden .
It is too tragic and upsetting.

Not sure of the pH range, but know it is on the acidic side. I will check tonight if I can find some values

.
I would appreciate it.
Thank you .

Our fynbos (Ericaceae/Proteaceae etc)

My wife hates them ."Too prickly" she says, O dear, not the scientific botanist.

[jab2]

Originally Posted by Michaelangelica

No it's not, when it does occasionally flower it is lovely
Are you saying MINUS 40? C?

No, +42/3ish. We hardly see below freezing temps, at least not where I live, but some Northern parts of SA get heavy frost in winter.

Originally Posted by Michaelangelica

Interesting .
Here it is thought that 40,000 + years of Aboriginal fire "farming" has adapted natives to fire.
Is there the suggestion of the same process in SA?

I have not really looked at an purely South African context to paleontology, so cannot say. What I know is that the flora of the Cape Fynbos Biome is totally reliant on fire for regeneration. This has a natural frequency of 12 - 30 years, so I guess early man would have had to learn to cope with fire, and possibly used it in a controlled fashion. The Cradle of Humankind in Gauteng province is in a grassland area, which had and still have yearly fire, although not the complete area every year, so I guess the same would be true there also. But then that is the area BOERSEUN live so maybe he can provide some info.

[Michaelangelica]

NT urged to follow WA's gamba grass ban

Posted 8 hours 6 minutes ago
Two men walk through gamba grass

Conservationists and the West Australian Government believe the jury is in on gamba grass, but the Territory Government is waiting for more information before making a decision on banning the introduced plant. (Weeds CRC Sally Vidler)

A conservation organisation is calling on the Northern Territory Government to join Western Australia in banning gamba grass.

The West Australian Government yesterday banned the introduced African plant, saying it poses a fire risk and affects biodiversity. The Government also plans to eradicate all gamba grass in the state.

The WWF's northern landscapes manager Dr Stuart Blanch says gamba grass is a major problem and the NT Government is crazy to allow it to be planted across the Territory.

NT urged to follow WA's gamba grass ban - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)