#brachyglottis

#Brachyglottis is my latest post for Cee's FOTD Aug 16 #photography #flowers

Hi all 😃 My latest post for Cee’s FOTD. Brachyglottis

I had a walk around a seaside cemetary in Dunedin one morning, because they're often a rich location for lichens and hardy plants, and found this one incorporated into the landscaping.

AKA Senecio greyi.

The binomial is derived from Ancient Greek for "Short tongue", referring to the short ray florets on the blossom. Sir George Grey (1812–1898) was a British explorer and colonial administrator who served as Governor of New Zealand, twice.

Primarily coastal, on rock outcrops and bluffs but may be found up river gorges and in suitably exposed habitats. Its tolerance of hot sun, poor soils, wind and coastal exposure make it a useful garden plant in those conditions.

The genus contains 39 species, all but one of them endemic to New Zealand. I'll be covering some of the others later.

Brachyglottis (Dunedin Group) ‘Sunshine’, Asteraceae

This beautiful evergreen shrub was selected as one of the species to decorate the green areas around my neighbourhood, where its lush foliage, silvery as if always covered in frost, is a big eye-catcher. I love that fuzziness, and the leaves remind me of sage, which probably makes me like the plant even more, as I love that herb! Unfortunately I decided to take photos when most of the flowers were already going to seed heads, otherwise the yellow daisies would have provided a much more striking contrast against the foliage than what you see here, later on in the season. 

Scientific Name – Brachyglottis 'Sunshine'

Common Name – New Zealand daisy

Family – Asteraceae

Plant Type – Evergreen shrub

Habit – Bushy

Hardiness Zone – USDA Zone 8-9

Mature Size – Height - 1-1.5m - Spread - 1-1.5m 

Fall/Winter Colour – Grey, silver, green

Leaf – Simple, oblong, ovate, green above, white underneath

Leaf Arrangement - Alternate

Blooming Time/Fruiting Time – June-August, Summer-Autumn

Flowers – Showy, yellow

Inflorescences – Panicle

Water Use – Low to moderate

Soil – Well-drained

Exposure – Full sun, part shade

Landscape Uses – shrub borders, attractive foliage/flowers