Medusa's Head Flower - from Greek mythology...

🐙 Strophanthus preussii - Poison Arrow Vine, Medusa Flower - has an intriguing flower!

🐙 The faintly fragrant flowers have long, slender, and curly petals that resemble the snakes on Medusa's head from Greek mythology, giving it the nickname "Medusa Flower." The petals often extend and twist dramatically, creating an eye-catching appearance. The tips of the petals become narrowed and elongated, forming a twisting, sticky string that dangles down from the flower and touches lower leaves.

🐙 The flowers are brightly colored, often in shades of white, yellow, and red, which can attract pollinators and add to their striking visual appeal.

🐙 As suggested by another common name "Poison Arrow Vine," parts of the plant contain toxic compounds. Historically, the seeds were used by some African tribes to poison the tips of arrows for hunting. This gives the plant a certain mystique...

🐙 Interesting pollination mechanism: the elaborate design of the flowers is not just for show; it plays a role in the plant's pollination strategy. The intricate structure can help ensure that pollinators come into contact with the reproductive parts of the flower, thereby facilitating cross-pollination.

🐙 Blooms almost year around

❓ What bizarre plants do you have in your collection? Share in comments👇

🛒 Order Medusa Flower

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🌳 "A cat is more intelligent than people believe, and can be taught any crime." - Mark Twain

And Loki says: "Climbing a tree is the easy part; it's the descent that requires finesse."

Good night 🕯

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🍔 Hamburger Bean: how to cover a fence fast with an exotic vine: Jade Vine here.

🟡 Mucuna sloanei - Yellow Jade Vine or Hamburger Bean. You saw the Sea-Green Jade vine in our earlier post. This one is lemon yellow.

🟡 It is much more hardier than the Sea-Green variety and is super fast growing!

🟡 This is a high-climbing woody vine native to rain forests of South America.

🟡 It has long, rope-like stalks hanging below the forest canopy where night-flying bats can easily access the fragrant blossoms.

🟡 The name Brown Hamburger Bean is because of the beautiful seeds (looking like little hamburgers) that are often collected and polished by natives and made into lovely necklaces and bracelets.

🛒 Shop Jade Vines

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🍳 Fragrant Fried Eggs for bees and butterflies 🐝🦋

🟡 Oncoba spinosa - Fried egg tree - is a conversation piece in your garden.

🟡 A medium shrub or small tree.

🟡 Beautiful white and yellow camellia-like flowers look like 'fried eggs' when they drop off and fall on the ground with their yellow stamens facing upwards.

🟡 Flowers are honey-sweet fragrant and attract butterflies and bees.

🟡 The fruits have a sour, edible pulp.

🛒 Get a Fried egg tree

#Hedges_with_benefits #Butterfly_Plants #Perfume_Plants

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🍷 "Age is just a number. It's totally irrelevant unless, of course, you happen to be a bottle of wine." - Joan Collins.

Good night 🕯

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