It’s a familiar sight at Verloren Valei but there’s more to this distinctive species than meets the eye. A colony of Kniphofia porphyranta (Dwarf Red-hot Poker) at Verloren Valei (Photograph: Gerrit van Ede) Over the years, red-hot pokers have become … Read More
Three white Disa orchids are Verloren Valei specials, although infrequently seen. By Gerrit van Ede There are three Disas found on Verloren Valei that are basically white with some spots. While they are specials on the Reserve, they are not … Read More
This beauty is one of the standout blooms at Verloren Valei despite the fierce competition. By Gerrit van Ede When in flower, this orchid is very noticeable in the sour-grass veld of Verloren Valei, and is one of the beauties … Read More
No orchid-spotting trip is complete without finding one Disperis, writes Gerrit van Ede. There is one genus that looks so different from a traditional orchid that most people will not recognise it as an orchid: genus Disperis. For those of … Read More
Colloquially known in English as Ice Plants, two genera from this family exist on Verloren Valei. By Gerrit van Ede Ice Plants—or vygies, as most South Africans and, apparently, many New Zealanders, would call them—form part of the scientific family … Read More
Proteas are particularly associated with the Western Cape, but some members of this family can also be found on our high-lying ground. Protea parvula is one of the hidden gems of the Reserve. By Gerrit van Ede When you mention … Read More
Brunsvigia radulosa is one of the most striking plants at Verloren Valei, writes Gerrit van Ede. When it is in full flower, Brunsvigia radulosa’s large umbrel of 40 or more pink flowers is hard for any visitor to Verloren Valei to miss during the … Read More
Get to know one of the outstanding floral beauties of Verloren Valei. In South Africa, the winter rainfall area of the Western Cape is well-known for the richness and diversity of its flowering plants, which are well documented in the … Read More
Yellow is the dominant colour of the delayed, but long-anticipated, Verloren Valei spring—but the blue or purple of Disa baurii is well worth seeking out. The high grasslands shake off the winter cold late; spring in Verloren Valei tends to … Read More
Several species of orchids found at Verloren Valei flower before the summer rains fall, thus acting as true harbingers of spring—effectively risking the “capital” they built up during the previous season on the expectation that the rains will come. Most … Read More
