Ochna serrulata flowering

The carnival ochna is shown here with its yellow flowers still intact in September. The Afrikaans name of fynblaarrooihout (fine leaved redwood) suggests delicate foliage. New leaves are pinkish as can be seen in the picture.

This plant was photographed in Kirstenbosch that lies just outside the natural distribution of the species. The plant is found along the south and east coasts of the country as well as inland in the Lowveld of Mpumalanga and Limpopo.

The plant is well established as a garden subject, also overseas (Schmidt, et al, 2002; Coates Palgrave, 2002).