Clivia miniata

Common name: Bush lily

Family: AMARYLLIDACEAE

Origin: South Africa 

Plant description: an evergreen perennial with dark green strappy leaves. It has beautiful red, orange,
or yellow trumpet – shaped flowers. Showy flowers appear at the beginning of spring. 

Use: Wonderful sculptural plant for pots indoors and outdoors. 

Light and position: Prefers shady position. 

Water requirement: It should be watered regularly during the summer months. In winter reduce watering into once a month. 

Special care: Sensitive to sunlight and will burn easily. Plant in well-composted soil. 

Pest and diseases: Spider mites. 

Propagation: Using seeds and by removing suckers. Large clumps can be split up.

Gardening for bees

“Where possible, and within reason, adopt a more tolerant attitude to feral bee colonies in buildings, and of hived bee colonies in one’s neighbourhood. If we want bees we need to make space for them.”- Dr David Heaf

Bees play an important role as pollinators of crops and natural vegetation. However, the study shows that over the last decade has seen a concerning decline in numbers of managed honeybees’ and wild colonies. This is due to habitat loss to farming and urbanisation activities. The use of toxic pesticide and climate changes has also contributed. 

 

TO ASSIST CONSERVE OUR BEES 

Avoid using toxic pesticides.

Bees need fresh water.  So, create a little pond or leave a bucket of water in your garden.

Build structures that will invite bees and provide them with a place to nest.

Grow more indigenous plants in your garden, it will help provide a source of nectar and pollen.

 

WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN CHOOSING PLANTS FOR YOUR GARDEN

Bees use scent rather than sight to find flowers, therefore choose sweetly to scent and nectar-rich plants. Just like human beings, bees have favourite colours which are violet, purple, blue, white, and yellow, and that is why so many flowering plants use bees as pollinators.

Propagating Jordaaniella dubia

Jordaaniella dubia flowering at UWC Cape Flats Nature Reserve 

One of the best things about gardening is that, once you have some stock, you can propagate your own plants rather than buying new ones. 

Jordaaniella dubia

Scientific name: Jordaaniella dubia H.E.K. Hartmann

Family: AIZOACEAE

Common names: Strandvygie, matvygie

Plant Description  

Eye-catching vygie when in flower, perfect for a water-wise and coastal garden.

Jordaaniella dubia is a drought-tolerant prostrate succulent with stems longer than 20 cm and slender, the long stems, roots as are they go. The leaves are spindle-shaped mostly the same size without papillae. You can expect attractive yellow, solitary flowers that are 30 – 40 mm in diameter from May to September. It bears attractive yellow solitary flowers that are 30 – 40 mm in diameter. It flowers from May to September.

The genus Jordaaniella was named for Professor Pieter Gerhardus Jordaan (1913-1987), Professor of Botany at the University of Stellenbosch (Smith et al. 1998) in 1984, by a world-renowned mesemb botanist, Dr H.E.K. Hartmann. 

Growing and maintenance of Jordaaniella dubia

It is suitable to grow in sandy soil. It thrives in full sun and requires little watering. It can be used for any fynbos, water-wise and coastal gardens.

It is a pleasure to propagate Jordaaniella dubia as it is easy and very rewarding. It can be propagated from seeds and cuttings.

-          Cuttings can be taken from autumn.

-          They can be planted into river sand or any garden soil.

-          Place cuttings in a cool spot and keep them moist but avoid overwatering.

Jordaaniella dubia is available at our nursery UWC Cape Flats Nursery.

References

Manning, J. 2007, Field Guide to Fynbos, Random House Struik (Pty) Ltd, Cape Town
Low, A.B. 1983, Flowering Plants of the Cape Flats Nature Reserve, University of Western Cape, Bellville
Chesselet, P & Low, B. 2014, PlantZAfrica.com. http://pza.sanbi.org/jordaaniella-anemoniflora-and-jdubia