Looking for a plant to help creating a beautiful picture in your garden which shines and shimmers in the sunlight, then you need this baby. This little flower, when dried can keep its shape and color for many years this the reason for its name, “Everlasting” and its popularity in the dried flower industry. The Greek name Syncarpha comes from “syn” which means ‘united’, “karphos” meaning ‘scale’ or something that is small and dry, “vestita” means ‘clothed’. The Afrikaans name “Sewejaartjies” (“seven years”, unfortunately the direct translation to English does not work very well for a flower) derived from the fact that this plant disappears from their specific spot in the veld after seven years.

There are 30 species and they are mostly confined to Southern Africa. This is an evergreen plant with silver green-grey leaves; white, yellow or pink papery petals which close on overcast days and at night. You can find them in sandy flats or stony slopes between the fynbos. They flower during our summer months (December till February) but can start as early as spring (September) and continue till early autumn (April).

They have soft woody stems, are tough, enjoy full sun and can easily survive drought. You can propagate these plants by stem cuttings in summer or dividing the roost in spring. Their seeds germinate after a fire and it is thus a fire ephemeral.

All photos taken with a Nikon L840.

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