Wednesday 28 October 2015

The first 3mm of rain

It's amazing what even the tiniest amount of rain does! The very next day after we had only about 3mm of rain, many of my succulents burst into bloom, as if saying "thank you!" The ground under the trees wasn't even wet, but I think these thankful little plants will bloom even just at the smell of rain!


For the first time ever since I acquired my one Aloe aristata (Guineafowl aloe or Lace aloe), which has just been clumping and producing more babies, has flowered. One single stem with lovely coral bells on the end.






Aloe aristata flower


My Bunny Ears cactus (Opuntia microdasys) has been dormant for ages and is also now rewarding me with lovely new green pads.


I've been waiting and waiting for this, and at last it looks like my Mammillaria cactus is going to produce some flowers! The flowers form circles around the crown and I'm hoping mine will too.


The Epiphyllum crenatum (Litroos in Afrikaans) has produced lovely flowers this season, even though it's still very small, Given to me by a dear friend, it first died off and I thought I'd lost it, but within a couple of weeks it sprouted and now, 18 months later, I have flowers! Amazing!

 Peanut cactus in flower


All the Peanut cacti started flowering at the same time. I have four small pots of this lovely little cactus, which looks great in a hanging basket as they tend to grow long tendrils that hang over the pot.

Rattail cactus in flower


Both my Rattail cacti (Aporocactus flagelliformis) have been flowering since the beginning of spring but now, after the first drops of rain, they finished off over-night. Lots of seeds to be gotten here - they are at the base of the flower where it joins the long 'rattail' - and when laid on top of some soil, they soon take root and form tendrils.

So here's to the next bout of rain, VERY late this year, and the lawn and garden desperately needs it.




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