This is the second week that I’m doing a member of the Kalanchoe family, but as we move closer to winter, there are fewer flowers blooming in the veld and woodlands around our home. The common Kalanchoe or “Plakkie” as it is also known was growing very near to where last week’s Kalanchoe paniculata was found. It seems to grow in the tiniest crevices in the rocks where some soil has become trapped. This is particularly visible when we found one growing on Python Rock on Sunday morning. They are also growing on the side of our farm road that leads from our gate, through our neighbour’s property to the Claremont road. These are growing in deep shade on the edge of the road.
The slender stem is crowned by a flat-topped inflorescence, with glowing orange or red star shaped flowers which are highly visible in the shady riverine woodland or against the grey granite rocks. Each urn-shaped floret in the panicle is between 8 – 15mm long and the sepals are 1-2mm long. Each floret consists of 4 tepals and appears in autumn and early winter (February – June).
The species name “rotundifolia” means round leaves, however many plants may not have round leaves, but are more elliptical in shape with a scalloped red margin. The glabrous leaves decrease in size further up the stem towards the inflorescence. . The leaves are 15 – 30mm long and 10 – 20mm wide. These fleshy, opposite leaves are brittle and will propagate new plants if they break off and land in sufficient sandy soil to support the short fine root structure.
A little whimsy – Bindweed Quillglow
She watches over the birds. She lives at the bottom of tangled gardens and in hedgerows. She can only be seen in the light of a full moon. She wears tangled multicoloured skirts made of petals and has lemon coloured butterfly wings.
HeatherTon Wild Flowers 
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