Sparaxis in Arizona

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I had never even heard of Sparaxis until I ordered some bulbs from Easy to Grow Bulbs last October. But my motto is that I am *experimenting, mostly* and they looked like they would do well here. Like a lot of the plants here in The Tropical Paradise, they are native to South Africa.

I guess that I was expecting them to be more like freesia, but they're not. The bulbs were much smaller, and the foliage isn't quite as lush. In fact, it tends to get a little yellow and I've trimmed some of the foliage just for looks. But the idea was to create a more natural look at in the hotter and dryer parts of the garden, so it should work out. The first bud is just forming, as you can see, and it appears to be covered with a thin, papery covering. Interesting! The colors should be spectacular, and the shape should be more like a daisy. I will keep you informed!

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