Category: Succulent Karoo

Spring Flower Watch: Hantam National Botanical Garden

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Written and photographed by Zoë Chapman Poulsen.

The first of our weekly Spring Flower Watch series comes from Hantam National Botanical Garden (NBG) in Nieuwoudtville. Hantam NBG which is run by the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) is one of South Africa’s newest NBGs and the only one located in the Northern Cape province.

Above: Spring blooms in the small Namaqualand town of Nieuwoudtville.

Hantam NBG is 6 000 Ha in size and showcases examples of Nieuwoudtville Shale Renosterveld, Nieuwoudtville-Roggeveld Dolerite Renosterveld and Hantam Succulent Karoo. The veld here is recognised to be of international conservation importance and was used in the filming of Sir David Attenborough’s classic series ‘The Private Life of Plants’ in 1991.

Above: One of the nine different hiking trails that visitors can use to explore Hantam NBG.

The garden has nine different hiking trails that allow those of differing levels of fitness to explore as they please. BotSoc members enjoy free entrance to Hantam NBG and all of South Africa’s other NBGs.

Above: Babiana framesii in bloom on the dolerite koppies at Hantam NBG.

One of the highlights of any visit to Hantam NBG are the plethora of beautiful bulb species that can be found blooming in the garden during spring.

Above: Hesperantha rivulicola. Photo: Zoë Chapman Poulsen.

Impossible to miss are the intense orange spikes of Bulbinella latifolia var. doleritica, covered in breeding monkey beetles at this time of year. This Bokkeveld Escarpment endemic is known from just seven subpopulations due to habitat loss for agriculture and is Vulnerable on the Red List of South African Plants.

Above: Bulbinella latifolia var. doleritica. Photo: Zoë Chapman Poulsen.

Small but spectacular, Lapeirousia oreogena is easily recognised by its funky geometrically marked flowers. Growing on clay soils in renosterveld, this species is found from the Bokkeveld Escarpment to the Western Karoo and Calvinia. It is thought to be pollinated by long-tongued flies.

Above: Lapeirousia oreogena. Photo: Zoë Chapman Poulsen.

Another beauty that can be seen at Hantam is Sparaxis elegans, with different colour forms in white or salmon pink. It is endemic to the Nieuwoudtville area, growing on clay soils in renosterveld on the Bokkeveld Escarpment. In habitat it is locally common, but is threatened by habitat degradation and fragmentation, leaving it Near Threatened on the Red List.

Above: Sparaxis elegans. Photo: Zoë Chapman Poulsen.

Look out for next week’s edition of Spring Flower Watch, where we will be taking you along to visit the nearby Nieuwoudtville Wildflower Reserve.

A Megadiverse Country: Introducing South Africa’s biodiversity hotspots

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Written by Zoë Chapman Poulsen. Photos by Isobel Johnson and Zoë Chapman Poulsen.

South Africa is a country that is world famous for its extraordinary biodiversity. Recognised as one of the earth’s 17 megadiverse nations which combined contain two thirds of the world’s plant diversity, South Africa sits in the top ten nations for plant species richness worldwide. This is as a result of the country’s highly varied climate, topography and geology, which also has led to extremely high levels of endemism across its many different ecosystems, meaning that many South African species are found nowhere else on earth.

Perhaps one of South Africa’s most famous centres of plant diversity is the Fynbos Biome or Cape Floristic Region, which is one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots. However, few realise that South Africa is in fact home to three different biodiversity hotspots, namely the Cape Floristic Region, the Succulent Karoo ecoregion and the Maputaland-Pondoland-Albany corridor. Biodiversity hotspots are the world’s most biodiverse and threatened terrestrial regions. For an area to qualify it needs to have a minimum of 1500 species of endemic vascular plants and to have lost a minimum of 70% of its primary vegetation. There are 37 biodiversity hotspots worldwide, of which 8 are found on the African continent. In this week’s edition of the BotSoc Blog we are taking a look at South Africa’s biodiversity hotspots and what makes them special.

Cape Floristic Region Hotspot

Above: Fynbos in the Akkadiesberg above Stanford. Photo: Zoë Chapman Poulsen

The Cape Floristic Region (CFR) is perhaps South Africa’s most famous biodiversity hotspot. It is also recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, owing to its extraordinary vascular plant diversity at all taxonomic levels. In recent years the Cape Floristic Region has been expanded to become the Greater Cape Floristic Region, with the previous extent of the CFR now being known as the Core Cape Subregion. The Core Cape Subregion (CCR) is 90 760 km2 in size and has around 9 383 known species of vascular plants. A total of 68% of these species are endemic to the area, therefore meaning that they are found nowhere else on Earth.

Above: Watsonia coccinea in bloom in newly burnt fynbos vegetation. Photo: Zoë Chapman Poulsen.

The CFR comprises a variety of different vegetation types. The most well-known and well-researched of these is fynbos. Fynbos is a Mediterranean type shrubland that is both fire prone and fire dependent. It is dominated by plants from three key plant families: The Proteaceae family, the Restionaceae family and the Ericaceae family. The less well-known renosterveld differs from fynbos by consisting of predominantly Asteraceous shrubs and grasses with an extraordinary diversity of geophytes that produce spectacular flowering displays during spring. On the coastline of the CFR we find strandveld, which has strong floristic links with subtropical thicket vegetation. The CFR also includes small patches of forest growing in sheltered areas with relatively high moisture availability where it is sheltered from fire.

Succulent Karoo Hotspot

 

Above: Succulent Karoo vegetation, Ou Tiep Farm, between Garies and Soutfontein, Namaqualand. Photo: Zoë Chapman Poulsen.

The Succulent Karoo Biodiversity Hotspot is one of two arid biodiversity hotspots located in predominantly winter rainfall semidesert. Extending northwards into Namibia along the West Coast of South Africa, the Succulent Karoo encompasses the regions of Namaqualand and the Little Karoo, the latter of which lies in a valley between the Swartberg mountains in the north and the Langeberg and Outeniqua mountains in the south. The Succulent Karoo is known for being home to the world’s highest diversity of succulent plant species. A total of 40% of the Succulent Karoo’s 6 356 plant species are endemic to the region and found nowhere else on earth. The area is also known for its high reptile and invertebrate diversity.

Above: Pelargonium echinatum. Photo: Zoë Chapman Poulsen.

The Succulent Karoo ecoregion has highly diverse geology owing to its complex geological and geomorphological history. However, the majority of the vegetation occurs on shale. Members of the Aizoaceae family, more commonly known as ‘vygies’ form a significant component of the flora, with their colourful daisy-like flowers. After flowering they form seed capsules that open upon contact with moisture from rainfall, flinging the seeds away from the parent plant into the veld. Few realise that geophytes also form a significant part of the Succulent Karoo’s flora, comprising 18% of the flora.

Maputaland-Pondoland-Albany Hotspot

Above: Grassland and forest in the mountains near Barberton on the border with eSwatini. Photo: Zoë Chapman Poulsen.

The Maputaland-Pondoland-Albany biodiversity hotspot is found on the east coast of South Africa below the Great Escarpment. Encompassing three of South Africa’s centres of endemism, it extends northwards from the Eastern Cape, also including the countries of eSwatini and Mozambique. There is considerable climatic variation from subtropical/tropical in parts of the hotspot in the north and nearer to the coast, ranging to more temperate with winter frosts in more inland higher altitude areas. The Maputaland-Pondoland-Albany hotspot is an important centre of plant diversity for South Africa, being the second richest floristic region in Africa after the Cape Floristic Region. Vegetation types of the area encompass subtropical thicket, which is an endemic vegetation type to the Maputaland-Pondoland-Albany hotspot, forest and grassland.

Above: The iconic Christmas Bells (Sandersonia aurantiaca) Photo: Isobel Johnson.

The area is home to almost 8100 plant species from 243 families in an area approximately the same size of New Zealand, of which nearly a quarter (more than 1900 species) are endemic to the area. There are 39 different genera which are endemic to the area and one endemic plant family, namely the Rhynchocalycaceae, which comprises the single monospecific species Rhynchocalyx lawsonioides which is found in southern KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape. It is listed as Near Threatened on the Red List of South African Plants due to firewood harvesting, alien plant invasion and inappropriate fire regimes. Another well-known endemic of the region is the iconic Christmas Bells (Sandersonia aurantiaca), which is now becoming increasingly rare due to habitat degradation, flower picking and forestry.

Further Reading

Bergh, N.G. Verboom, G.A. Rouget, M. Cowling, R.M. (2014) ‘Vegetation types of the Greater Cape Floristic Region’ in Allsop, N. Colville, J.F. Verboom, G.A (Eds) Fynbos: Ecology, Evolution and Conservation of a Megadiverse Region, Oxford University Press, UK.

Manning, J. & Goldblatt, P. (2012) Plants of the Greater Cape Floristic Region: Volume 1: The Core Cape Flora, Strelitzia 29, South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.

Mucina, L. Rutherford, M (Eds) (2006) The Vegetation of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland, Strelitzia 19, South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria.

Karoo Fireworks: Aridland blooms at Karoo Desert NBG

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Karoo Desert National Botanical Gardens is one of SANBI’s oldest botanical gardens. Located in the town of Worcester, two hours from Cape Town along the N1, this beautiful garden is well worth the visit. Karoo Desert NBG showcases the rich diversity of unique and extraordinary flora that comes from the more arid parts of South Africa including the Richtersveld, Succulent Karoo and Klein Karoo.

Above: The intense red flowers of Drosanthemum speciosum.

As we enter the hotter summer months and the Karoo veld hunkers down to survive the increased heat and aridity, we take a look back at the spectacular blooms that wow visitors to the garden during late spring and early summer. Thanks to the horticultural skill and foresight of the gardens’ staff, Karoo Desert NBG offers a veritable firework display of blooms in one of the country’s most arid and water scarce botanical gardens, continuing well into October and the start of the summer season. Their work stands testament to what can be achieved when gardening in South Africa’s relatively dry climatic zones. It is a garden that inspires.

Above: Drosanthemum speciosum orange form.

The majority of late spring and summer colour at Karoo Desert NBG comes from the vygies. So what is a vygie? The word ‘vygie’ is a South African term derived from Afrikaans and refers to a low growing, sometimes creeping, sometimes shrubby group of succulents with often spectacular flowers from the Aizoaceae family. Many make popular and easy to grow waterwise garden plants and are the mainstays of the September and October blooms at Karoo Desert NBG.

Above: Different colour forms of Drosanthemum speciosum used together to great effect for bold colour at Karoo Desert NBG.

One of the most vibrant of this group that makes Karoo Desert NBG famous is Drosanthemum speciosum, easily recognisable with its intense red flowers. There are also a few other colour forms, with this species also coming in orange, yellow or even pink. A truly local bloom, it is also known as the Worcester-Robertson vygie or bergvygie. They are also known as ‘municipal workers’ in reference to their flowers opening at 9am and closing for the day at 5pm. In cultivation their grow easily from seed and can be found in Mediterranean climate gardens worldwide. For the best flowering displays they should be replaced every three years as the plants become more woody with age.

Above: Yellow form of Drosanthemum speciosum. 

Another mainstay of Karoo Desert NBG is Drosanthemum bicolor, another small shrubby vygie, with stunning red and yellow flowers. In Afrikaans it is known as the ‘tweekleurporseleinbos’. In the wild it grows on hillsides in the western Little Karoo, growing on soils derived from Malmesbury Shales. It is thought that bees pollinate the brightly coloured flowers of this species. Following pollination seed capsules are produced that only open to disperse the seeds inside when rain comes, thus ensuring more likely survival of any newly germinated seedlings. Drosanthemum bicolor is also easily cultivated and will grow in most gardens across the Western Cape.

Above: The spectacular multicoloured blooms of Drosanthemum bicolor.

The vibrant deep pink blooms of Lampranthus multiradiatus can also be seen flowering in late spring and early summer at Karoo Desert NBG alongside the red, orange and yellow Drosanthemum. Those crafting this garden are not afraid to place vibrant and contrasting colours together. In fact, the genus name ‘Lampranthus’ actually means ‘bright flower’, derived from the Greek words ‘lampros’ meaning ‘bright’ and ‘anthos’ meaning flower. There are more than 140 species of Lampranthus, mainly confined to the winter rainfall areas of the Western Cape. In cultivation they are easily grown, attracting bees into the garden.

Above: Lampranthus multiradiatus in bloom at Karoo Desert NBG.

As climate change makes water an ever scarcer commodity in South Africa, gardeners need to become more innovative with their plant choices, growing indigenous and waterwise species where possible. Karoo Desert NBG has shown us how locally indigenous vygies can be used to create a bold and spectacular display, leading the eye through the gardens to the mountains beyond. It shows us what is possible in our own gardens, bringing colour as we garden for the future.

Kirstenbosch Plant Fair: Growing Indigenous and Cultivating Community

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Article and photos by Zoë Poulsen

Last week the Kirstenbosch Branch of the Botanical Society held their much anticipated plant fair, loved by all and one of the biggest events in the BotSoc calendar. More than 11,000 indigenous plants went on sale with horticultural advice from experts from Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens, Karoo Desert Botanical Gardens, CapeNature, the SANBI/BotSoc volunteer programme and more. Around 3,200 members of Cape Town’s plant community arrived for this popular event, with 90% of stock selling out on the first day. By Sunday more than 10,000 plants had been sold including 1730 Proteaceae and 650 Ericaceae plants. A total of 260 BotSoc members volunteered to make the plant fair happen. For the Kirstenbosch Branch volunteers, committee and staff involved, we offer a huge thank-you for your time, hard work and effort, it couldn’t be done without you!

In addition to this botanical bonanza, the event also served as an expo for various organisations. Experts from the Custodians of Rare and Endangered Wildflowers (CREW) were there to introduce would-be citizen scientists to their work, explaining how anyone can contribute to threatened species conservation. The Calitzdorp Succulent Society answered questions about their annual festival and Soil for Life were raising awareness with some lovely winter vegetable seedlings on sale. The Candide SA team were also ready to answer questions about their incredible horticultural app designed to share knowledge through an online gardening community. I am sure all who visited their stand will look forward to growing their free kohlrabi seeds.

This year’s theme was ‘Amazing Aromatics’, celebrating the many South African plants that enrich our natural vegetation and our gardens by smelling as good as they look. The most well-known of these are the Buchus from the Rutaceae or Citrus family that form an integral part of South Africa’s fynbos. Agathosma crenulata and Agathosma betulina have many traditional medicinal uses. The leaves can be used to make a tea or steeped in vinegar or brandy and have been used in the treatment of stomach complaints, kidney and bladder ailments. They make great garden plants too. Members of the genus Pelargonium were also on sale. Different species of this tough and drought tolerant genus may smell of lemon, mint and rose. Many have edible flowers and leaves and can be used as a food flavouring or in potpourri. Branch volunteers had a stall at the fair dedicated to selling handmade potpourri, further demonstrating the versatility of our indigenous flora.

The Kirstenbosch Plant Fair has always acted as a one-stop-shop for enthusiasts of growing South Africa’s extraordinary and biodiverse flora, paired with expert advice accessible to everyone from beginner to the most knowledgeable of gardeners. When gardening in the water scarce Western Cape it makes complete sense to grow indigenous drought tolerant plants adapted to our climate and soils in a world class range of sizes, colours, shapes and scents. With expanding urban development and agriculture, our gardens become all the more important as havens for wildlife. Those Red Hot Pokers, Aloes and Cape Honeysuckle sold at the plant fair will grow to provide food for spectacular sunbirds, always wonderful guests to have visiting. Threatened species such as the Extinct in the Wild Erica verticillata may also find a corner in your garden within its former range.

As well as raising funds for the Kirstenbosch Branch, the Plant Fair also encourages a sense of community among a wide spectrum of people. It inspires people to plant, garden and enjoy nature in any green space, no matter how large or small. Whether you have a tiny balcony, access to a patch of sand or a larger space, it can become a garden. Those who volunteer their time at the Kirstenbosch Plant Fair play a vital role in encouraging others to start greening their own spaces for nature. The satisfaction from planting and growing brings joy and a wonderful social space to enrich the lives of all who get involved. Everyone brings home good memories, and look forward to doing it all again for the plant fair next year.

Wildflower Wonders: Where to find the best blommetjies this Spring

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Article and photographs by Zoë Poulsen

This winter, after three long and dry years in succession, the rain came. The drought’s impact has been pervasive, affecting the economy, agriculture, tourism and much more. Above average rainfall this June has provided some respite and improved dam levels, but we are far from out of the woods yet.

However, good winter rains are making it increasingly likely that we will have some wonderful displays of wildflowers this spring. Already there are beautiful carpets of Oxalis giving their winter display along our road verges. We have hand-picked for you a selection of our favourite places to go and experience the Cape’s world famous wildflower displays. All of these stunning places are within five hours drive of Cape Town, easily accessible on a weekend for those of you with limited time available.

NAMAQUALAND 

Nieuwoudtville

The small town of Nieuwoudtville lies at the top of the Bokkeveld Escarpment, five hours drive north along the N7 from Cape Town. It is not without reason that it is known as the ‘Bulb Capital of the World’. The town is home to Hantam National Botanical Gardens (NBG) one of South Africa’s newest NBGs, run by the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI). Hantam NBG is 6000 Ha in size encompassing Nieuwoudtville Shale Renosterveld, Nieuwoudtville-Roggeveld Dolerite Renosterveld and Hantam Succulent Karoo.

This unique range of untransformed habitats makes this the place to see many of the rare and special plant species known from the Bokkeveld Escarpment. The garden has nine different hiking trails that allow those of differing levels of fitness to explore as they please. Members of the Botanical Society enjoy free entrance to this and all of South Africa’s NBGs. Additional tourist information for the area can be found at www.nieuwoudtville.com

WEST COAST

West Coast National Park

West Coast National Park lies on the coast between the small towns of Yzerfontein and Langebaan just 1.5 hours drive north of Cape Town. The park is a mix of Strandveld and Hopefield Sand Plain Fynbos.  During August and September visitors to the park are rewarded by the most spectacular displays of flowers in the Seeberg and Postberg sections of the Park. For the more energetic the two day overnight Postberg hiking trail can be done, with an overnight stop (bring your own tents) at Plankiesbaai. Bookings and tariff information can be obtained from Geelbek Information Centre on 022 707 9902. Entrance to the park is R76 for South African Nationals and residents (with ID) and free for Wildcard Holders.

Tienie Versfeld Nature Reserve

Tienie Versfeld Nature Reserve is 20 Ha in size and found just outside the Swartland town of Darling, an hour north of Cape Town. The reserve was formerly part of a farm that was donated to the Botanical Society by Marthinus Versfeld. Marthinus’s sister Muriel was one of the founder members of the Darling Wildflower Society. The reserve is open all year round, but the most spectacular blooms can be seen during the spring season from August to September. Entrance to the reserve is free.

Waylands Farm Wildflower Reserve

Also near the beautiful town of Darling is the fantastic Waylands Farm Wildflower Reserve. The reserve was founded by Fredrick Duckett in the early 1900s and is home to more than 300 different plant species, many of which are geophytes. The reserve forms an integral part of the farm and is grazed from late November to the end of April each year. The spring flower season reaches its peak from the end of August to early September.

CEDERBERG 

Ramskop Wildflower Garden

Three hours drive north of Cape Town on the N7 is the small town of Clanwilliam, which lies at the foot of the Cederberg Mountain chain. Adjacent to the municipal campsite on the banks of the Clanwilliam Dam is the beautiful Ramskop Wildflower Garden. There are more than 300 species of different wildflowers to be seen, and spectacular views down over the dam and up to the Cederberg mountains beyond. Entry is R25 and the gardens are open until 4:30pm during August and September. (Info: 027 482 8000).

Biedouw Valley

 

The Biedouw Valley is one of the Cederberg’s hidden wildflower gems. It can be reached either via Calvinia or the Pakhuis Pass from Clanwilliam. The Biedouw River is one of the tributaries of the Doring River. The valley is bounded by the Biedouw Mountains to the north and the Tra Tra Mountains to the south. The name ‘Biedouw’ refers to the common plant name ‘Bietou’, although there are several plants that go by this name so it is not clear to what species the name originally refers. In spring local farmers restrict livestock grazing in the area to further enhance the stunning wildflower displays. 

CAPE TOWN  

Rondebosch Common

 

Rondebosch Common lies at the heart of Cape Town’s Southern Suburbs. This 40 Ha site is of international conservation importance, being one of the last fragments of Critically Endangered Cape Flats Sand Fynbos, a highly biodiverse vegetation type that only occurs in the greater Cape Town area. It is home to around 250 plant species.

The site is under the custodianship of City Parks and their work is supported by the Friends of Rondebosch Common, affiliated with the Wildlife and Environmental Society of South Africa (WESSA). Each spring the Friends run a series of walks lead by dedicated volunteers to see the spring flowers on the Common. All are welcome and becoming a Friend is encouraged to support the valuable conservation work taking place. More information can be found on the Friends’ Facebook group.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/Friends.of.Rondebosch.Common/

 

#SecretSeason: Winter at Karoo Desert National Botanical Gardens

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Article and photographs by Zoë Poulsen

As winter arrives at the Cape, temperatures fall and the winter rain starts it can be tempting to spend all your time tucked up inside away from the cold. Winter is the time to make the most of those beautiful sunny days in between the rain, perfect for getting out and about without the summer heat. Now is the time to experience the beauty that is winter in this part of the world.

Above: The rugged and scenic beauty of the Du Toits Kloof Pass between Paarl and Worcester on the N1.

Karoo Desert National Botanical Gardens (NBG) is located next to the small town of Worcester, an easy 1.5 hour drive from Cape Town and closer still for those based in the Winelands. It is a scenic drive along one of the most beautiful sections of the N1, travelling through the rugged mountains of the Du Toitskloof Pass. At this time of year huge waterfalls can be seen tumbling down rock walls from high above. While travelling through the pass from the Cape Town side, one can see the vegetation change from the Mediterranean climate fynbos to the more arid climate adapted Worcester Robertson Karoo.

Top: Aloidendron ramosissimum Above: Ruschia maxima

Karoo Desert NBG showcases the rich diversity of unique and extraordinary flora that come from the more arid parts of South Africa, including the Richtersveld, Succulent Karoo and Klein Karoo. The garden is 154 hectares in size, of which 11 hectares are cultivated and the remainder is natural vegetation. There are two hiking trails that allow visitors to explore the wider landscape beyond the more formally cultivated areas of the garden.

Above: Flowers and open seed capsule of Cheridopsis pillansii

The shorter Shale Trail is around 1km in length with the main winter highlight being the orange and yellow flashes of colour in the veld from flowering Aloe microstigma. The Grysbokkie Trail is 3.4 km long and will take visitors steeply up into a kloof above the gardens and ascends from the Worcester Robertson Karoo vegetation up into the Breede Valley Renosterveld above. Those who make the climb are richly rewarded by the views from the top of Beacon Hill (526m) over Worcester and the surrounding landscape.

Above: Pelargonium echinatum

Winter is a time when many plant species from the arid and semi-arid vegetation types that are represented at Karoo Desert NBG come into bloom. This is particularly true of the huge variety of different Aloes that are grown here. The huge and striking quiver trees (Aloidendron dichotomum, Aloidendron ramossissimum and Aloidendron pillansii) produce many bright yellow inflorescences between June and August that are often visited for nectar by sugarbirds and sunbirds. The blooms are pollinated by ants and bees.

Above: Euphorbia dregeana

Also worth looking out for is the Giant Mountain Vygie (Ruschia maxima) with its delicate pink flowers. This plant blooms most of the year and makes a great waterwise addition to arid and semi-arid gardens. In the higher reaches of the garden the pale yellow blooms of Cheridopsis pillansii can be seen in contrast to the silver leaves of this plant. This plant is one of several species named after botanist Neville Pillans (1884-1964), succulent enthusiast and eminent collector of Stapeliads. Pillans was formerly a member of staff at the Bolus Herbarium at the University of Cape Town.

Above: Nymania capensis 

Visitors to the garden are often intrigued by the strange shaped pink seed heads of the Chinese Lantern Tree (Nymania capensis). These allow the seeds to be wind transported away from the parent plant, where they can be blown into the shelter of a nurse plant, allowing germination of seeds once rain has arrived and conditions for growth are suitable.

Top: Aloiampelos tenuior Above: Euphorbia caurulescens

Here we offer just a taster of what this extraordinary garden has to offer during these winter months of colour. As with all our National Botanical Gardens, visitors to Karoo Desert NBG enjoy free entrance throughout the year. Make the most of your membership and enjoy exploring South Africa’s rich plant diversity as showcased in our stunning gardens.

Out of the dust: A mass flowering of Brunsvigia bosmaniae

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Article and photographs by Zoë Poulsen

The small Namaqualand town of Nieuwoudtville lies on the Bokkeveld Escarpment, just north of the border between the Western and Northern Cape. It is reached via the Vanrhys Pass, named after Petrus Benjamin Van Rhyn who was a clergyman and member of parliament in the old mission settlement of Troe Troe. The pass winds its way up from the quartz gravel plains of the Knersvlakte to the high altitude renosterveld and fynbos of the escarpment, home to many rare endemic plant species.

It is not without reason that Nieuwoudtville is known as the ‘Bulb Capital of the World’. In spring the veld comes into bloom in a plethora of colour, drawing visitors from all over South Africa and beyond to see the spectacular displays. Here BotSoc partner the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) manages Hantam, one of the country’s newest National Botanical Gardens (NBG). Hantam NBG is more than 6000 Hectares in size and conserves habitat of Nieuwoudtville Shale Renosterveld, Nieuwoudtville-Roggeveld Dolerite Renosterveld and Hantam Succulent Karoo. Visitors to the garden have a choice of nine different walking trails to explore the garden, of differing lengths to suit all levels of fitness.

The last couple of years has seen South Africa experience the worst drought in living memory. Water has become a commodity all too precious and the winter rain that brings the veld into bloom in spring did not come. The veld remained dry and the bulbs remained dormant,  with the drought impacting on livelihoods in farming, tourism and on wildlife.

However, as the hot and desperately dry summer ended, autumn arrived at the Cape. And this autumn the rain came. Ephemeral streams long dry started to flow and green returned to the veld. The rain triggered the coming of an extraordinary phenomenon, last seen in Nieuwoudtville four years ago. On municipal land managed by Hantam NBG and the adjacent WWF Wildflower Reserve, the previously dry ground began to crack, and flower buds began to emerge.

These flowers are the huge autumn flowering geophyte Brunsvigia bosmaniaeor Maartblom, a member of the Amaryllidaceae family. This species is distributed from southwestern Namibia southwards to Tygerberg north of Cape Town and inland to the Roggeveld and southern Tanqua Karoo. It is most common around Nieuwoudtville and Vanrhynsdorp where it occurs in huge and dense colonies. The type material was first collected near Piketberg in 1927 but did not flower in cultivation until 1932.

Huge moisture filled bulbs allow this plant to survive long periods of drought. Their flowering is triggered at the end of summer when intense thunderstorms arrive following incursions of tropical air that arrive in Namaqualand from the north. These perfect conditions to trigger flowering do not happen every year: These Brunsvigias often have a long wait to reproduce.

As the days go by and the Brunsvigias come into flower, the veld slowly turns an intense shade of pink. The blooms are the size of footballs. Word spreads and visitors come to Nieuwoudtville from far and wide to see this spectacular floral display. The display is fleeting, lasting around a fortnight. As flowering ends the infruitescences dry out and come adrift from the bulb, allowing the wind to blow them across the landscape, distributing the seeds as they go. Meanwhile, flowering done, the huge leaves start to emerge, and will remain until the bulb goes dormant during the summer months. The Brunsvigia bosmaniae of Nieuwoudtville must now wait, until the next autumn thunderstorms come.