Orphium frutescens (L) E. Mey.
sea-rose, sticky flower · teringbos (Afr.)
Bushy coastal perennial with glossy pink star flowers in midsummer, when most of the veld is dormant.
What’s in the name: Orphium: named after Orpheus, the musician of Greek myth; frutescens: "becoming shrubby".
“If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer.”
— Henry David Thoreau, Walden – Henry David Thoreau, Walden (1854), Project Gutenberg
Available from AVNPlants: see the availability list.
Family
Gentianaceae
Conservation status
Least Concern, SANBI Red List of South African Plants
Natural distribution & habitat
South-western Cape coast from Lambert's Bay to George, in clumps on sandy flats and marshes.
Size & form
Upright, often bushy (frutescens means "becoming shrubby") evergreen perennial to about 60 cm.
Flowering
Summer.
Uses in landscaping
- Coastal gardens: copes with wind, sand and brackish soil
- Wet spots, or ordinary beds with regular water
Care notes
Full sun; light, well-drained soil with compost and regular water. Pinch young tips for bushiness and replace after about two years as plants get leggy. Seed germinates in about two weeks; cuttings also work.
Wildlife value
Buzz-pollinated by bees that vibrate pollen out of the anthers.
Find out more
Facts checked against: SANBI PlantZAfrica species page 'Orphium frutescens'; SANBI Red List of South African Plants, Orphium frutescens (L.) E.Mey. (assessment 2005/06/30).