Fynbos

Fynbos 1

Fynbos 1

My daughter, Pix, bought me this lovely Fynbos plant on her last visit.

Fynbos

Definition: A distinctive type of vegetation found only in coastal South Africa, characterised by a diverse richness of endemic plant species, particularly small heather-like trees and shrubs, that grow in soil that is acidic and nutrient poor, and in a climate with cold, wet winters and hot, dry summers.

Pronunciation: Fyn – as in Train. Bos – as in Boss.

Fynbos 2

Fynbos 2

This plant is called a Red Devil, Leucadendron salignum, and looks rather like the South African national flower; the Protea.

I’m happy to say it has settled in very well. I’m always a little nervous with new plants, because I tend to kill them! But it is still here and is producing lots of new ‘blooms’, so I assume its roots have taken hold.

The great thing about fynbos is that because it is indigenous, it is well adapted to our climate with periods of drought or little rainfall. I don’t have to rush out and water it every hot day, now it has established itself.

It joins the rest of the plants in my garden. If you can survive here without molly coddling, you’re very welcome!

 

35 thoughts on “Fynbos”

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  5. mistermuse

    Although I’m a non-smoker, I remember a lighter fluid called RED DEVIL, but it can’t hold a candle to your Red Devil — hahaha (so much for my bad pun for the day).
    You mentioned “mollycoddling” — you may want to check out my kind of mollycoddling in my upcoming June 5 post. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    1. scifihammy Post author

      No, not really many cacti – the natural vegetation is like this bush. Tho, cacti do do well here. Also, it isn’t quite as succulent-y as it appears from the photo. 🙂

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  13. C. C. Cedras

    I love Protea, but, of course they’re imported here in the US. I’ll never forget my joy when my late husband and I, on our second honeymoon in the first two years of our marriage, were driving over the mountain range from Franschhoek to Cape Town and there was an entire mountainside of them in bloom. Incredible variety. I went a little nuts.

    The Red Devil looks like another cut flower I find in the florists here and frequently get for arrangements! Now I know what it is, thank you!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. scifihammy Post author

      Great that you got to see them growing wild in large numbers 🙂 They are very impressive seen like that 🙂
      And you chose a great place for your second honeymoon! 😀

      Liked by 1 person

  16. Midwestern Plant Girl

    I’m a proponent of that logic also. I’ll coddle you the first year while you get established, but after that, you’d better survive on your own… or get replaced! 😲

    Liked by 1 person

  17. Garfield Hug

    Protea is SA’s national flower! Yet another new nugget of info😊 Thanks!!

    Hmm I must look for the protea flower here as they have protea trees for sale in nurseries.
    Our lil red dot’s national flower is an orchid called “Vanda Ms Joachim”

    Liked by 1 person

    1. scifihammy Post author

      I find protea hard to grow, as they require a specific soil. But this fynbos is close enough 🙂
      I like your orchid’s name 🙂

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    1. scifihammy Post author

      Thank you 🙂 As we have water restrictions most summers it pays to plan a water-wise garden 🙂 Indigenous works best, because it already knows what it is doing. 🙂

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