Ferraria ferrariola

I first saw an image of Ferraria ferrariola while trolling through the pictures at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s South African Bulbs Collection.  It was a revelation to me that a flower could be some closely modeled to the fractal images of mathematics.  The flower petals curl and then recurl.  Ferraria are all South African natives in the Iris Family and named in honor of the Italian botanist who first described them in the 1600’s.  There are 15 species in the genus, mostly in the winter rainfall/summer dry areas of South Africa, and all are said to be frost-sensitive.  For those of us in the U.S. who do not live in Southern California, these are definitely greenhouse plants.  I ordered two plants from Annie’s Annuals last winter as soon as I found them as a source.  The plants were a good size when they arrived but alas they did not flower.  One is budding up at the moment but the plant that is flowering now actually came from Telos Rare Bulbs as just a corm that I planted this September.  The flowers last only a day or two and are only two inches or less across but their infinite complexity invites closer inspection.  Some of the species are described foul-smelling but I found no such issue with ferrariola.  As you can well imagine I am delighted to finally see flowers from this little rarity.

Ferraria ferrariola

Ferraria ferrariola from above

Ferraria ferrariola with one open and one closing flower

I have four other Ferraria species in various stages of growth from seed and corms obtained from the Pacific Bulb Society’s bulb exchanges.  By the way, I need to comment that despite its name the Pacific Bulb Society is international in scope.  No other organization that I’ve been involved with has so many experts ready and willing to offer seed, bulbs, and information.  The PBS wiki is THE online source of bulb information.  If rare and exotic bulbs are interesting to you at all, you must joint the PBS…(end of commercial).

At the same time the last of my Oxalis species has come into flower and it’s a particularly gorgeous double.

Oxalis compressa double form

Oxalis compressa double form

Oxalis compressa double

Oxalis compressa double form with two buds open

This lovely Oxalis is another contribution from last year’s order from Telos Rare Bulbs.  Between Telos and the Pacific Bulb Society’s bulb exchanges I have at least a dozen Oxalis species and varieties now.

Lastly, let me note that I think I have solved a plant puzzle that has been bugging me since last spring when one of the seed exchange packets from NARGS produced a yellow flower rather than the purple that was described for the packet.  Definitely not the Boechera koehleri that was on the label. It was easy from seed and very fast growing.  It flowered essentially all year and the one in the greenhouse is flowering still.  Suggestions from two sources led me to look at wallflowers as a possible ID.  After reviewing the NARGS seed lists I think my best guess is now Cascade wallflower.

Erysimum arenicola

If anyone has a better suggestion, I’m open to possibilities.  In addition to identifying it, I need to propagate some more.  It’s a winner.