Monday, January 13, 2014

Lobelias ... not Orchids.

The Lobelias are straggly and look as if they are struggling in amongst the healthy understory plants.


I don't know if finding more every year is a result of me getting to know them better and getting to know where to look, or whether there really has been an increase every year.

My first years here came at the end of several very dry winters (such that many local Eucalypts died).

The last three winters have seen excellent rains, however,   and I suspect that is also a reason for the increase.



They aren't easy to see, at first, despite the clear blue of the flowers, and the first year I only saw three.
Last year I counted well over a dozen and so far this year, more than 30.



The first year I was here I thought them orchids at first!

A friend notes a peculiar feature of their growth, on his website ...

From John Walmsley "Management of Lobelia.
An interesting plant in that the bottom of the plant is dead and dry by the time it flowers. It therefore goes through the entire flowering and seed setting period using the energy stored within the plant. It can be very easily introduced to an area simply by moving it to where it is required while it is flowering."







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