South African Geophyte Day – Oxalis and Eucomis

Oxalis bowiei3Eucomis Mini Tuft Red2

Several of the South African geophytes (plants with swollen underground storage organs) are looking great today in the gardens here at Juniper Level.  The top photo is the amazing Oxalis bowiei, which just emerged from summer dormancy.  This 10″ gem is topped, almost as it emerges with stalks of large 1″ bright pink flowers.  I can’t imagine a late summer/fall garden without these.  It’s completely winter hardy here, but not much further north, where it performs great in mixed containers that need a late summer kick.   At the bottom is Eucomis ‘Mini Tuft Red’, which looks great now…a fantastic pineapple lily hybrid using 2 high elevation, South African mountain species….also only 10″ tall.   Both plants make great rock garden or container specimens.

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