Tuesday 21 March 2017

Anthericum baeticum

Anthericum baeticum St. Bernard's Lily

This lovely delicate flower is the smallest of the Anthericum, and is native to Spain, Portugal and North Africa. It normally flowers from May but I found this on March 14th, and can be found up until July. It grows from an height of 5-30cms.


Friday 17 March 2017

Punica granatum

Punica granatum Pomegranate

Granado

This fruit bearing tree originated in Iran and has been widely cultivated in the Mediterranean, north India and the Americas. It occasionally seeds itself and can be found growing in the wild in warm climes. It flowers from March to May and fruits in the autumn. The fruit are full of many beneficial natural nutrients. The tree or shrub can grow from 4-10m tall.


Monday 13 March 2017

Galega officinalis

Galega officinalis Goat's Rue

Galega

It is a perennial, herbaceous plant growing from 70-100cms in height. It flowers from March to June. It is native to central and southern Europe, Asia minor and Iran. It is found next to streams, damp fields and ditches.  It has beautiful lilac-pink flowers. it used to be cultivated widely as a forage plant but was found to be too toxic.


Cerinthe major ssp gymnandra

Cerinthe major ssp gymnandra Honeywort

Ceriflor

This lovely plant is native of the Iberian Peninsula and Menorca and flowers from February to May. It grows from 20-50cms tall and is found on verges and among pine forests, preferring sandy soil. The leaves are a greenish-blue which is not obvious in this photograph.

Cotula coronopifolia

Cotula coronopifolia  Buttonweed

This South African flower has naturalised along the Atlantic coast of Spain. Photo taken at Barbate. It thrives in muddy sites, marshes and lagoons. It grows from 5-30cms tall and flowers from May to August, though this was flowering in March.

Tuesday 7 March 2017

Iberis carnosa



Iberis carnosa  Candytuft

Carrispique

This beautiful little Iberis flowers from April to June. It is pale pink fading to white as the flower gets older. It is found above altitudes of 800m usually on limestone. It is found in the Mediterranean. I am not 100% sure that I have id'd it correctly, as it could be a subspecie.


Thursday 2 March 2017

Calendula aegyptiaca


Calendula aegyptiaca Egyptian marigold

This tiny marigold can grow to an height of 10cms and is found in southern Soain, North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. It flowers from December to May and is found on arid pastures.