Over the coming months, an abundant, glorious display of nectar-rich reddish-orange flowers will bloom on three of these Australian native plants at the botanic garden. Like a giant flag signalling to nectar-feeding birds and bees, Doryanthes sends up a large scape (flowering stalk) up to 5m high.
While most garden plants have a rather short flowering season annually, two to three weeks, Doryanthes flowers in spectacular profusion for up five months, making up for the years of not flowering.
Doryanthes is a large plant, 2m wide by up to 3m high with a tidy, upright clump forming habit. It produces rosettes of big sword-like leaves that give it a tropical look and make it a striking structural addition to a garden. A xerophyte (adapted to dry conditions), it can tolerate wind and coastal conditions. Thus, it has merit as a foliage plant in your garden while you wait with anticipation for a decade or more for it to flower.
During the following spring months take an inquisitive stroll through the Australian borders located around the aviary in the upper botanic garden and see the spectacular Doryanthes, giant spear lily, in bloom.
Garden Life is produced by Dunedin Botanic Garden. For further information contact Hannah Pirie.
