Cyanella orchidiformis
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Summary
Source: WikipediaCyanella orchidiformis is a perennial flowering plant and geophyte belonging to the genus Cyanella. The plant is endemic to the Northern Cape and the Western Cape. It occurs from Steinkopf to Citrusdal. The plant blooms from July to September.
Description
A herb. It is a corm or bulb plant. It keeps growing form year to year. The leaves are sword shaped and wavy. The flowers are purple with darker centres. They are on erect stalks
Edible Uses
The bulb is edible cooked.
Medicinal Uses
None known
Distribution
It is a subtropical plant. It grows on rocky places in moist places.
Where It Grows
Africa, South Africa*, Southern Africa,
Cultivation
Prefers a light sandy soil. Requires a very warm sunny position in a well-drained soil, it is best grown at the foot of a south-facing wall or in a south-facing bed. Plants are not very frost hardy, but they can be grown outdoors in the milder areas of the country if given a good mulch. Plant the bulbs 15cm deep in autumn to flower in spring or in the spring to flower in the summer. Lift the bulbs when they die down, dry them and store in a cool place until it is time to replant. Flowers are produced in 3 - 4 years from seed.
Propagation
Sow seed thinly in autumn in a greenhouse, at a density that avoids the need to thin seedlings. Once germinated, grow seedlings in the same pot for their first year with occasional liquid feeding to prevent mineral deficiency. When dormant, pot two to three small bulbs per pot and grow them on in a greenhouse until they reach flowering size, then plant out in spring after the last expected frosts. Divide offsets during dormancy; larger bulbs can go directly into permanent positions, while smaller ones are better grown on for a year in a cold frame before planting out.
Other Uses
None known
References (5)
- Fox, F. W. & Young, M. E. N., Food from the Veld. Delta Books. p 71, 349
- Manning, J., 2007, Field Guide to Fynbos. Struik Nature p 92
- Plants for a Future database, The Field, Penpol, Lostwithiel, Cornwall, PL22 0NG, UK. http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/pfaf/
- Ruiters-Welcome, A. K., 2019, Food plants of southern Africa. Ph.D. thesis. Univ. of Johannesburg p 105
- Welcome, A. K. & Van Wyk, B.-E., 2019, An inventory and analysis of the food plants of southern Africa. South African Journal of Botany 122 (2019) 136–179
