So, if you also love succulents, this is for you.
Africa is known for its heat, but the weather is strange nowadays and the succulents have started to flower. There are so many beautiful plants, such as roses and all of the rest, but succulent flowers have a special place in our hearts. These hardy and tough plants are not bothered by the weather patterns, as they are all self-sustaining due to the water that they store in their leaves.
The second time that we visit this succulent nursery in the countryside.
We loved the bird baths.
An arty exhibition with seashells and succulents.
Much of Southern Africa is semi-arid to arid, indeed desert-like, and it is perhaps not surprising that succulents abound in the region. Somewhat predictably, therefore, Southern Africa can also lay claim to having the richest and most diverse succulent flora in the world. Although this has been known for many years, the extent and diversity of this flora was only recently verified by a comprehensive survey. The results revealed that an amazing 47% of the world's known succulents occur in Southern Africa.
Source: Book "Field Guide to Succulents in Southern Africa".
ISBN: 978-1-77584-367-2.
Lovely red flowers.
This is one of ours at home that is starting to flower.
This is a Paper-spine Cactus, also at home.
And finally, we have a little Cape White-eye sitting next to the Donkey tail succulent, at the left, that grows in a pot on our wall.
Hundreds of years ago, succulents taught people the importance of storing foodstuffs. Before the settlers arrived here in South Africa, a nation called the Khoi-San, stored their water by filling calabashes with water and then burying it in the sand along their hunting trails. Now in the modern times succulents still have lessons for us. The most important one is to learn to endure during tough times in our lives. A desert will not see rain for many years, but as soon as it rains, the plants that pop up are succulents such as aloes and other species. They can withstand fires, floods, and storms. And after their hard times, they still bloom and flower when good weather arrives. That's why the flowers of succulents are so special to us.
I hope you enjoyed the pictures and the story.
Photos by Zac Smith-All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Canon PowershotSX70HS Bridge camera.
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