Re: RFI - Wildflowers in South Africa in September
- To: "medit-plants"
- Subject: Re: RFI - Wildflowers in South Africa in September
- From: G* B*
- Date: Sun, 23 Jul 2000 22:30:51 +0200
->
>Glenn Breayley wrote:
>
>> The last time I saw Protea flowers full of snow they had died back by the
>> following summer.
>
>They died back because of the cold? Or they fully flowered first, and then
>died?
>
They didn't seem to handle the cold at all & that was the fatal factor. I've
never seen the snow so low as it is now & it will be interesting to do
follow ups late on in the season to see what has happened. In places it has
come right down into the valley bottoms where lusher, softer vegetation may
be found, so I'm expecting more losses there.
>> I should also be able to point her in the direction of the best local
areas (
>> not much at the moment I'm afraid as there's been some really devastating
>> fires this last summer ).
>
>Do the fires mean that flowering should be unusually good in the burned
areas?
>(As it would in California, where many annuals only germinate in abundance
after
>a fire). Since a lot of S.African plants (so we read hear) need fire or
smoke
>to germinate, do the fires last summer portend better floral displays a
couple
>years in the future after newly germinated plants have matured?
>
The fynbos has evolved to work on a burn cycle of 10 - 14 years. The smoke
from the burnoffs stimulates the new growth OK but there is little in the
way of annual floral display following this in the true fynbos formations.
What is stimulated to flower in the following year is the geophytes & you
can get marvellous bulbous displays where previously there was nothing. Its
interesting to follow the process of re-establishment of the mature
formation which, to my mind, gives the best display of all. This can be up
to 5 or 6 years afterwards. The floral component is one thing entirely, but
it seems to me theres also structural & textural elements in mature Cape
Flora formations which make for an effect which is more than the sum of its
parts.
Related to this then, how important is a cyclical burn & rejuvenation
pattern in other Med. areas in the world.? Australia is well known for it
being an integral part of the environment. But how about Chile & California
& the Med basin ? Someone was telling me the Romneya coulteri seed responds
well to smoke treatment for its germination. If this is true it would imply
a similar regime applies.
Regards
Glenn Breayley. Ragnarok & Valhalla Research.
POBox 26158, Hout Bay, 7872, Capetown, South Africa
Ph/Fax SA 021 7904253 E-mail valhalla@iafrica.com
Wholesale nurseryman & Tillandsia specialist wholesale & retail grower.
