Sea Rose
Endemic to coastal South Africa, Orphium frutescens is a fairly rare plant in cultivation with an interesting natural history. Besides being stunningly beautiful, with the pinkest of the pink colored rose-like flowers on elephantine like swollen stems, it has an unusual relationship with a certain species of African carpenter bee. The flowers only release pollen when they sense the vibration of the buzzing bee! You can read the fascinating story in this BBC article. Orphium frutescens, also called the Sea Rose, is the only species in the genus and is a member of the Gentian family. Forming an attractive, small, evergreen shrub about 2½ feet tall, the lush foliage is thick and narrow, giving the plant the appearance of an upright, leafy Rosemary bush. On older plants, the stems become swollen and segmented appealing to caudicform fans the world over. Intense, bubble-gum pink cupped blooms cover the plant throughout the summer lasting for months. We offer this unusual plant in Quart containers while supplies last.