Ferraria

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Ferraria is one of those in the Iridaecea family. It is native to central and southwestern Africa and needs wet winters and dry summers. The flowers can have a rancid meat smell to attract flies, but I have been lucky that mine smell of honey – which also attracts flies. Slugs find the spent flowers very tasty, and I have been going out every night to remove them.
I have posted photos of the first two to bloom, but to see the differences in color and markings, here they are, again:

This is F. divarticata in the chocolate yellow form.

Here is the F. crispa with its yellow green tones on the petals. It has been really prolific with its flowers with up to 8 flowers opening on a single day. The honey scent really becomes noticeable.
Finally, another F. crispa opened today:

This one shows how brown flowers can be really amazing.

• 7 Apr, 2018
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