Satyrium odorum new plants

The soet-trewwa or ruik-trewwa (Afrikaans), as Satyrium odorum is commonly known, is mainly pollinated by moths attracted by the sweet scent exuded at night and implied in all three names given here. The plant is endemic to the winter rainfall area, restricted to the southern Cape coast, extending as far east as Knysna.

This is not an easy plant to cultivate and not common in garden collections. If it is planted beyond the natural distribution area, regular watering during the winter months may be needed. In nature the plants are found in damp places, rocky slopes and coastal scrub, dry in summer when the bulbs rest.

When conditions are favourable, S. odorum tends to add additional tubers from stolonoid roots, even some distance away from a parent plant. Dense, well populated stands of these plants may thus come about, as can be seen in the picture. What is "favourable" to plants may appear very uncomfortable to people (Manning, 2009; www.plantzafrica.com).