Jamesbrittenia albomarginata - flower of the week!

Jamesbrittenia albomarginata is our flower of the week! In recent years, we’ve seen only a hand full of these shrublets in Pearly Beach Conservancy, where it grows on limestone soil. Its orange and white striped flowers are most unusual and eye catching. It was named after James Brittenia a botanist who lived in the 1800s. Its species name; albo-marginata points to its white-margins/stripes. 

This plant is almost entirely covered in tiny gland tipped hairs. The hairs reduce water loss and reflect the glare of the sun away, while the glands release aromatic oils that keep unwanted herbivores and parasites away. 

It is uncertain whether this species can be propagated from cuttings. On a cool summer’s morning, we headed out, made 10 experimental cuttings and dipped it in a root stimulating hormone. It was then planted in a mixture of fine bark, perlite and sand (2:1:1). Rooting should happen within 2 weeks. It will then be planted into pots filled with sand and compost until the roots are fully established. In autumn, it will be planted out in - Pearly Beach Nature Reserve - a small area near the sea where Limestone Fynbos is strangely found. Let’s hope we can preserve this one!