Touring the southern Africa collection at the UC Botanical Garden at Berkeley
The University of California Botanical Garden , located high in the Berkeley Hills , is a 34 - Accho landscape of incredible diversity . fill with plant pile up from the natural state of nearly every continent — many of them rarefied or endangered — the botanical garden ’s more than 12,000 plant coinage are primarily organized into geographically representational collection . There are sections devote to Asia , Australasia , eastern North America , California , Mexico and Central America , deserts of the Americas , South America , and southerly Africa . The garden also features taxonomic and ethnobotanical collections as well .
The southern Africa collection feature a variety of unusual works bring back over the years from South Africa , Lesotho , Swaziland , Botswana , and Namibia — a vast area containing a broad reach of different and often difficult topographies , climates , and microclimates . Many of the plants endemic to southern Africa have develop unique adaption in orderliness to make it and boom in the harsh condition of that climate , frequently resulting in strange bloom physical body , leaf structures , and industrial plant shapes .
Some of the adaptations let in the ontogeny of succulent , weewee - storing leaves to cope with long ironic summer conditions as exhibit by aloes ( Aloespp . and cvs . , Zones 9–11 ) , crassulas ( Crassulaspp . and cvs . , Zones 9–12 ) , and cotyledons ( Cotyledonspp . and cvs . , Zones 9–11 ) , just to name a few . Others — such as the arresting , bound - flower baboon flower ( Babianaspp . and cvs . , Zones 8–10 ) , genus Sparaxis ( Sparaxisspp . and cvs . , Zones 9–11 ) , and African corn lilies ( Ixiaspp . and cvs . , Zones 8–10)—have developed carbohydrate - rich bulb for nutrient warehousing .
Many of these flora unique to the biomes of southerly Africa can be admired and appreciate during a tour of the southern Africa collection at the UC Botanical Garden . No matter when you choose to visit , there always will be something in bloom , with the extensive aloe collection alone being well worth the trip . While the cycad collection is not to be missed and the wintertime peak of the many heathland ( Ericaspp . and cvs . , Zones 5–10 ) varieties will stop you in your tracks , the following South African bulbs are specially delightful . These bulbs blossom during the leap month in Northern California , while blooming in the winter and leaping month of the Southern Hemisphere ( June through September ) in their native home ground of southern Africa .
Starfish iris
Starfish iris ( Ferraria crispa , Zones 9–10 ) is a vigorous perennial , reaching 16 to 18 inches tall and 12 to 16 inches wide with sword - mould green leaves . The fragrant , crinkle - edged flowers bloom in Northern California in early give . These astonishing starfish - like blooms are much beloved by hummingbirds and come in an array of hue — sullen brown , maroon , off - white , fleeceable , and pallid yellow . Colors may be striped or look dabbled or speckled on the leaves . Grow this summer - dormant mantrap in full sun to fond ghost in fat , well - drained soil . It need minimal weewee yr - rung and even less during the summertime month .
Cape buttercup
Another tough , summertime - dormant perennial , ness buttercup ( Sparaxis elegans , Zones 9–10 ) has dense , strappy , fanlike green foliage , strain 12 in tall by belated winter . In March , striking flower spike up to 18 inches tall bear three to five blooms each . These 2 - column inch - wide flowers have bright orange petals and a distinctive yellow - and - pitch-black - dotted hoop at their centre surrounding a purple pharynx . As lovely in the vase as it is in the garden , cape buttercup is happiest grown in full Lord’s Day in amended , well - drain soil and with minimal summertime weewee .
Turquoise hyacinth
Like many other South African bulb , turquoise hyacinth ( Lachenalia viridiflora , Zones 9–11 ) is a winter agriculturist , with its promising green , low - growing , strappy foliage disappearing during the summertime month only to reemerge in late fall . In winter ( specifically January for Northern California ) , short flower spike rise 3 inches above the foliage and deport big , showy , tubular blooms in a truly astonishing whitish turquoise hue . Turquoise jacinth will attain 5 to 6 inch tall when flower . This rare plant does well in ironical - summer landscape painting or in containers and has minimum body of water essential ( none in summer ) . Plant in full sun to partial shade in rich soil with splendid drainage .
Baboon flower
An gentle - to - grow clumping perennial , this species of baboon flower ( Babiana angustifolia , Zones 9–11 ) grow to 12 inch marvelous ( 16 inches when in efflorescence ) , with strappy , oddly pleated , slightly felted leaves and a showy early outflow display of lavender - gloomy flowers . Deep reddish blue dotting on the lower petals adds to the beauty of the long - endure flush , which are as pretty in a nosegay as they are in the February garden . Baboon flower is drouth tolerant , naturalizes easily , and should be implant in full Sunday in rich , well - drained soil . Water sparingly , particularly during summer dormancy .
Be certain to design your sojourn to the southerly Africa collection at theUC Botanical Gardenduring the prime flowering menstruation of January through April . you’re able to buy the four particular plants profile here or their light bulb during the garden ’s mythical spring and fall plant sales !
— Fionuala Campion is the owner and coach of Cottage Gardens of Petaluma in Petaluma , California .
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Cape buttercup is a stunning South African bulb that blooms in March at the UC Botanical Garden at Berkeley.Photo: courtesy of Annie’s Annuals & Perennials
Dwarf nerine (Nerine humilis, Zones 9–11) is one of many plants brought back from its native climate for the University of California Botanical Garden’s southern Africa collection.Photo: Fionuala Campion
The southern Africa collection includes a number of aloes, including this book aloe (Aloe suprafliata, Zones 9–11).Photo: Fionuala Campion
This South African long-leaved heath (Erica longifolia, Zones 9–11), which thrives in a Mediterranean climate, will give you a new appreciation for the genusErica.Photo: Fionuala Campion
Each petal of starfish iris’s flowers are blotted with a dizzying array of color.Photo: Michael Chinn, courtesy of UC Botanical Garden at Berkeley
A close look at cape buttercup reveals a spiraling brown stamen.Photo: courtesy of Annie’s Annuals & Perennials
Turquoise hyacinth’s bright, unique color shines with an almost neon intensity.Photo: courtesy of Annie’s Annuals & Perennials
Baboon flower blooms in abundance with long-lasting purple flowers.Photo: Michael Chinn, courtesy of UC Botanical Garden at Berkeley
