Selago corymbosa L.
bitter bush, poverty bush · bitterblombos, bitterblombossie (Afr.)
Dainty, fine-leaved shrublet with flat heads of small white flowers (corymbosa refers to these flat-topped clusters) from summer into winter.
What’s in the name: Selago: an old Latin plant name; corymbosa: "in flat-topped clusters".
“Good medicine is bitter to the mouth.”
— Japanese proverb (良薬口に苦し), Wikiquote: Japanese proverbs
Available from AVNPlants: see the availability list.
Family
Scrophulariaceae
Conservation status
Least Concern, SANBI Red List of South African Plants
Natural distribution & habitat
Western and Eastern Cape, on stony slopes and flats and on exposed sea cliffs, from the Cape Peninsula to Gydo Pass and Baviaanskloof; common on open or disturbed ground in grassy fynbos and shrubland.
Size & form
Leafy shrublet 30–60 cm, with narrow, needle-like, finely hairy leaves.
Flowering
December to June.
Uses in landscaping
- Fynbos and pollinator gardens
- Copes with dry conditions once established, and with slightly damp spots
Care notes
Grow from tip or stem cuttings: strip the lower leaves, use rooting hormone and a bark–perlite mix with bottom heat and mist.
Wildlife value
Nectar and pollen for bees, beetles and butterflies, which in turn feed birds.
Find out more
Facts checked against: SANBI PlantZAfrica species page 'Selago corymbosa'; SANBI Red List of South African Plants, Selago corymbosa L. (assessment 2005/06/30).