Recommended Plant: Syncarpha vestita

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Family: Asteraceae

Common names: Cape snow, White everlasting

Syncarpha vestita is a spectacular everlasting daisy, much branched growing up to 1 tall with silver-grey furry foliage clustered up the stems. Each flowerhead has several closely overlapping bracts that surround a dense cluster of tiny purple flowers. The bracts are shiny white and papery and rustle gently in the wind. On cool, overcast days and at night the bracts enclose the flowers and only spread wide to reveal the flowers in warm sunshine. Flowering lasts several weeks while the tiny flowers open in sequence. In the Cape region this may start in late October and last until January. The bracts however persist and may be dried upside down and kept for years as a dry arrangement. Each tiny fruit is topped by a small tuft of bristles that helps carry it away on the wind. Although fast growing, the plant is relatively short-lived, with a life span of less than ten years.

Temperature and Lighting

Syncarpha vestita tolerates from 0-400 Celsius but should be protected from frost. It requires plenty of sun and good light conditions. It is a superb addition to a rockery or mixed planted in a garden.

Watering and Feeding

Syncarpha vestita should not be overwatered. Water well in the morning and then allow to dry out for the next few days between watering. Water in the morning to allow the foliage to dry to help prevent fungal infection of the woolly leaves. Cut back watering and feeding in the autumn/winter and keep slightly moist. Feed during the growing season with a weak liquid fertilizer solution.

Soil and Transplanting

Syncarpha vestita must be propagated in autumn from seed which germinates well providing that it is smoke treated. Smoke disks are available from Silverhill Seeds or you can smoke them using a bee smoker and some grassy or fine shrubby branches. Sow in a well-drained mixture of sand and well-rotted compost. The medium must be acidic ranging from about pH6,5 to-5.5. Young plants are best pricked out into plug trays and only potted on into larger containers when necessary. This is usually in the spring when the plants begin active growth.

Pests and Disease Control

Syncarpha vestita is a bit more challenging to grow particularly at seedling stage. It is recommended that seed is sown, and seedlings are grown on under cover so that you can control watering. Overwatering is problematic and may result in damping off. Therefore, it is very important to water the seedlings well and then allow the medium to dry out between watering being careful to monitor the medium and water again before they drought stress. Check for signs of fungal infection and use the appropriate fungicide to control it before it spreads or kills the young plant. Avoiding watering over the leaves in the evenings helps avoid fungal infection on the leaves.

USDA hardiness zones 9 to 11. Outdoors place the plant in a sunny spot with well-drained soil and good air

 

Recommended Plant: Crassula coccinea

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Family: Crassulaceae

Common names: Red Crassula

 

Crassula coccinea is an easy to grow, beautiful succulent (30-45 cm) with neatly arranged fleshy leaves crowding the stems and clusters of bright, brilliant red tubular flowers produced during summer. It is found naturally in the Western Cape in rocky areas on mountains. It is a spectacular flowering plant attractive to bees, butterflies and birds. 

Temperature and Lighting

Crassula coccinea tolerates from 0-400 Celsius but should be protected from frost. It requires plenty of sun and good light conditions, but should preferably not be exposed to harsh, direct sun all day. It is a superb addition to a rockery or mixed planted in a garden and can also be grown in a sunlit window. It can flower in the first year and be grown as an annual.

Watering and Feeding

The red crassula is drought tolerant and should not be overwatered. Water well in the morning and then allow to dry out for the next few days between watering. Try to avoid watering over the leaves as this can encourage rust fungus or leaf burn on hot days. Cut back watering and feeding in the autumn/winter and keep slightly moist. Feed during the growing season with a weak liquid fertilizer solution.

Soil and Transplanting

Crassula coccinea best propagated from seed which germinates well and quickly (approx. 3 weeks) in autumn in a well-drained mixture of sand and well-rotted compost. The medium must be acidic ranging from about pH6,5 to-5.5. Young plants are best pricked out into plug trays and only potted on into larger containers when necessary. This is usually in the spring when the plants begin active growth. Pinch out young plants regularly to encourage branching.

Pests and Disease Control

Though it doesn’t require a lot of care it is a good idea to keep checking for signs of pests or such as rusts or mildew and use the appropriate fungicide to control it before it spreads. Avoiding watering over the leaves in the evenings helps avoid fungal infection on the leaves.

USDA hardiness zones 9 to 11. Outdoors place the plant in a sunny spot with well-drained soil and good air

 

Recommended plant: Podalyria buxifolia

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Family: Fabaceae

Common names: box-leaf bush-sweetpea

Podalyria buxifolia is a spreading, well-branched, resprouting shrub growing to 1m high with a 2m spread. The leaves are simple, alternate, 30mm long and up to 10mm wide with a pronounced midvein. They are dark, glossy-green on top and have silky white hairs on the lower surfaces that produce a silvery sheen. The stems are thin and wiry and light green. The attractive, magenta, and strongly fragrant flowers are produced near the branch ends. Flowering time is from Autumn to winter, i.e. from August to April in natural conditions. The flowers are followed by narrowly inflated, hairy, green pods maturing to brown, approximately 40×15 mm. The pods dry to a crisp and split during hot weather to release several small seeds with fleshy, collar-like arils. Podalyria buxifolia is a fynbos plant and occurs in the winter-rainfall Western and Eastern Cape.

Temperature and Lighting

Podalyria buxifolia tolerates from 0-400 Celsius but should be protected from frost. It requires plenty of sun and good light conditions. It is a superb addition to a rockery or mixed planted in a garden. It responds well to pruning.

Watering and Feeding

It is a resilient plant and adapts well to warm temperate and Mediterranean conditions.

Soil and Transplanting

Podalyria buxifolia is easy to grow from seed, but not from cuttings. If you want to try this method, it is recommended to take re-sprout cuttings off the root stock when possible. Sow and grow seedlings under cover so that you can control watering. Sow seed in autumn or spring/summer which will germinate well providing that it is treated with a hot water soak. Use a well-drained mixture of sand and well-rotted compost. The medium must be acidic ranging from about pH6,5 to-5.5. Young plants are best pricked out into plug trays and only potted on into larger containers when necessary.

Pests and Disease Control

No pests and diseases noticed. Suggest not to overwater as saturation of medium might result in damping off.

USDA hardiness zones 9 to 11. Outdoors place the plant in a sunny spot with well-drained soil and good air