Re: Bloom seasons in northern and southern hemispheres
- Subject: Re: Bloom seasons in northern and southern hemispheres
- From: &* B* <m*@lamorran.fsworld.co.uk>
- Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2004 11:30:33 -0000
Dear Cheryl,
Your query about the comparative flowering seasons between Southern
hemisphere plants and their Northern counterparts is something that
intrigued me after I made a trip down to the Western Cape, South Africa last
autumn.
Quite a few woody species, native and alien were either at a similar stage
in the flowering cycle, Leucadendron and Acacia spring to mind, or not far
behind in their development back home in Cornwall (some Protea sp.). However
the same could not be said of some of the Myrtaceae I saw, several
attractive scarlet Metrosideros excelsa by the sea at Camps Bay reminded me
that ours made its display way back in the British mid-summer, (probably a
sensible idea given the current weather here).
By speaking to staff at Kirstenbosch I understand climatic change is
becoming a serious concern (rainfall was one factor) for them, as much as it
is for us which clearly throws some of the plants out of their traditional
cycle with ourselves of late, which muddied my thoughts further.
By the way if you're thinking about Proteaceae then the Chilean Embothrium
is about to flower now in Cornwall
It would be interesting to see what others in the north have to say,
kind regards,
Mark Brent
Lamorran
St. Mawes
Cornwall
U.K.
