Wild flowers and patience...

At the beginning of April, whilst walking on DD & WGuys property in order to take some photo's for them, I came across a tumbleweed.

Then, shortly afterwards, I encountered a bit of synchronicity.

Tumbleweed - the dried flower head
of the Malgas Lily

Diana unknowingly gave me the name of the plant a couple of weeks later.  It is the Malgas Lily or Ammocharis longiflora

Image source: http://www.plantzafrica.com/
plantab/ammocharlong.htm 

I have seen the plants flat leaves "lying" on, or close to the ground, and they fascinated me.  Now that I know what it is I am even more excited. Why, I hear you wonder?

Well, I picked up the dried tumbleweed type flower head and left it in a box in the kitchen.  Last week when we returned to the farm I noticed that the seeds had burst out of the plant and were growing!

Malgas lily seeds - growing without any soil

There were some seeds still on the dried head and they too were bursting forth.

Seeds growing in the dried seed pod

Naturally, I had to plant those valiant little seeds.  They appear to be eco-friendly and water-wise, and as such will be given their opportunity to shine in my garden.


However, the patience bit enters the here - for apparently it takes 7 years until the plant produced from the seed will produce a honeysuckle smelling flower...


It's worth it - I can wait :)