17 February 2011

KOHLERIA CULTIVAR

I do not know what Kohleria cultivar is this but I bought it from the December gardening bazaar. Now it has rewarded me with quite a number of vermillion red floral buds.

I just did a count and there are 3 opened flowers on the plant now. The leaves are not the type of green that I love and the underside is slightly reddish but the flowers more than compensate for my lack of interest in the drab colored leaves. The unopened bud and tubular corolla looks furry and the yellow tips unfold to reveal 5 fused pink petals with red spots. The throat of the flower appears to be covered with sugar crystals that may serve as a source of food for its pollinator.

What an interesting plant this is!