Samolus porosus (L.f.) Thunb.
water-pimpernel
Adaptable tufted perennial for wet ground, even brackish estuary edges, with small white to pale pink flowers.
What’s in the name: Samolus: an old Celtic plant name the Druids used, says Pliny; what it actually meant nobody knows; porosus: "full of pores".
“There are hardships and there are delights.”
— Japanese proverb (苦あれば楽あり), Wikiquote: Japanese proverbs
Available from AVNPlants: see the availability list.
Family
Theophrastaceae
Conservation status
Least Concern, SANBI Red List of South African Plants
Natural distribution & habitat
Coastal marshes, seeps and wet cliffs from Namaqualand to KwaZulu-Natal, including tidal estuary margins; in clay or loam, sun to fairly deep shade.
Size & form
Tufted herbaceous perennial, about 30–60 cm.
Flowering
November to February.
Uses in landscaping
- Bog gardens, pond and stream edges
- Harsh coastal sites; moist rockeries
- Well-watered pots in semi-shade
Care notes
Sun or part shade, kept well watered. Easiest by dividing clumps and replanting into moist soil; also seeds freely.
Find out more
Facts checked against: SANBI PlantZAfrica species page 'Samolus porosus'; SANBI Red List of South African Plants, Samolus porosus (L.f.) Thunb. (assessment 2006/05/17).