2009/04/16


Found these majestic flower blooming today...

It is one of the earliest plants to be cultivated. It grows to about 1 meter (3 feet) in height, and bears lance shaped, glossy leaves, at intervals along the stem. It bears a prominent whorl of downward facing flowers at the top of the stem., topped by a 'crown' of small leaves, hence the name. While the wild form is usually orange-red, various colours are found in cultivation, ranging from nearly a true scarlet through oranges to yellow. The pendulous flowers make a bold statement in the late spring garden ; in the northern hemisphere, flowering takes place in late April or May, accompanied by a distinctly foxy odour that repels mice, moles, and other rodents.

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