Brunsvigia bosmaniae in full force

Sheer abundance! Nature usually allows Brunsvigia bosmaniae to make this massive blooming statement about three weeks after good autumn rain. Not all mature bulbs respond every year though, the floral event predictability limited.

When festooning the countryside is as over the top as this, the pollination clientele is over the moon. The leading pollinators of B. bosmaniae are moths that fly by night and at dusk. These moths, commonly cotton bollworm or African bollworm are scientifically known as Helicoverpa armigera. Such moths are understandably unloved by cotton farmers, but this is not an issue where B. bosmaniae grows.

The plant’s common name of fragrant candelabra indicates the night insect link, the vital feature of guiding the moths to their target. The flower fragrance increases at night, the evolutionary modification making sense for the plant species; for the insect as well in order for the arrangement to persist (Duncan, et al, 2016; Manning, 2007; iNaturalist).