Heliophilia juncea
Image: Yakovlev Alexey
Description
Wand-like shrublet to 1m with narrow to oblong leaves; bears racemes of white to pink or purple flowers with narrowly paddle-shaped petals 8-20mm long; fruits are discus-shaped and warty. Flowering best after fire; very variable in growth form and flower size.Mustard Family
Information sourced from 'Field Guide to Fynbos' by John Manning. Struik Nature, Cape Town, 2007.
Propagation instructions - seeds
"In spite of their fragile appearance these little annuals have adapted to grow and flower abundantly in areas known for their heat and drought. Surviving the long dry summer as seeds, they germinate with the autumn rains, which is also the time to sow them. The seed can be scattered directly into garden beds or first sown in seed beds or seed trays. They should be planted out as soon as they are big enough to handle. The seed germinates well, usually within a week. The plants are easy to grow in the garden. They grow fast given the right conditions of full sun, well-drained soil and regular watering during the growing season. Heliophila look beautiful planted densely, giving a mass of blue, or they can be interspersed between other annuals, bulbs or shrubs."