Serruria Fucifolia

Serruria fucifolia is a charming medium-sized fynbos shrub. During late winter and early spring it is covered in sweetly-scented silver-pink flowers.... more

by Eva Lechner

Title

Serruria Fucifolia

Artist

Eva Lechner

Medium

Photograph

Description

Serruria fucifolia is a charming medium-sized fynbos shrub. During late winter and early spring it is covered in sweetly-scented silver-pink flowers. Its vigour and neat habit make this a rewarding garden plant.




Shrubs are rounded, erect and grow to 0.8-1.5 m tall. Branches and leaves are covered in fine hairs giving a matt appearance. Leaves are grey-green, finely divided, and curve upwards. They are 35-60 mm long.



Flowering occurs from late winter to spring (July-October) and bushes are covered in silver-pink flowers. Flowering stems appear on the tips of branches and in upper leaf axils. Flowers fade to a dull purple, and seeds are released approximately two months after pollination.

Conservation Status
Endangered (Raimondo et al. 2009).

The natural habitat of Serruria fucifolia is under threat from expanding agricultural plantations of potatoes in the south and rooibos tea in the north. Predictions are that 50% of the remaining habitat will be lost over the next 10 years.

Other threats include extraction of groundwater, overgrazing, infrequent fires and climate change.

Serruria fucifolia is endemic to the Western Cape and occurs in a band along the western coastline. It occurs in Sand Fynbos at Blaauwberg in the south, the Piketberg, the eastern Cedarberg near Wuppertal, and the northernmost populations occur in the Nardou area.

Photographed at Ferncloof Naturre Reserve,Western Cape,South Africa

Uploaded

May 28th, 2020