South African Scilla, or Wood Hyacinth

I nearly didn't take any pictures today as I felt like having a day off in general, despite going to the consultation event again to speak to my colleague Camilla. Helena has been resting too and took to bed for the afternoon to watch movies.

I have been investigating Canon repair specialists and got some good help from a fellow blipped, who by chance had a problem with the same type of lens. I am happier now that a good repair will be made, although the cost may not be so cheering.

It was 6-30pm when I decided to take some pictures of a couple of houseplants which I have been meaning to photograph for some days. The first was the very exciting first shoots from a cutting which I thought had died but has started to flourish. It is a Pealrgonium Ardens a relatively rare but very attractive houseplant having pretty small flowers with red petals and small black patches. I have blipped them many times over the years but propagating them is really rather tricky and I've only managed it twice before. I cut three sections from a former flowering shoot about two weeks ago, and didn't expect any success as the sections seemed too old and woody.

I watched them every day and then the old leaves shrivelled and each of the cuttings seemed to have died. I didn't bin them immediately and then a few days later a shoot appeared and filled me day with joy! Now a few days later and there are four very healthy, though tiny shoots covered in little hairs each less than an inch long.

I took the pot outside into the fading light of a cloudy evening and set up the macro lens using a tripod just to see what I got. I'm pleased to say the results were good but I am going to blip another plant that I filmed as well. The Pelargonium will be featured in a few more days when it has a stronger form.

Instead here is the rampant Wood Hyacinth.which is hard not to propagate. It arrived as an unseen volunteer on another houseplant I bought at a garden centre many years ago. I really like them and they are very easy to keep going. What I love about them are these tiny flowers and I haven't shown any of the mottled green leaves and the bulbs from which they grow.

This little branch of many flowers is less than two inches long and there are many shoots like this which appear endlessly throughout much of the year.

Ledebouria socialis
Common name: Silver Squill, Wood Hyacinth, Bluebell, South African Scilla, Leopard Lily, Violet Squill

Family: Asparagaceae

Ledebouria socialis is a geophytic species of bulbous perennial plant native to the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. It grows in arid savanna in summer-rainfall regions where it is found in fine to medium grained shallow to deep well drained humus rich sandy soil. It usually grows in shade mostly in closed evergreen woodland. This species has mottled leaves enabling it to blend into its thicket backdrop.