It was inevitable. Now that I've sold the Snail Shell, two things are happening:
- The house is self-destructing. (A two-metre length of cornice fell off the wall the other day. Luckily, not while anyone was standing under it.)
- Some plants are flowering for the first time.
The dwarf coral tree (Erythrina humeana) has put out its first inflorescences. And they're very impressive. White-plumed honeyeaters have been visiting, attracted by the reddest of red blossoms. They haven't had much success in drinking the nectar, though, because the flowers are so close to the ground. Unlike New Holland honeyeaters, which will perch on correas an inch above the soil, the white-plumes seem unwilling to get down so low. (Very sensible attitude in my garden, because the neighbours' cats are killing machines.)Dwarf coral tree is a native of South Africa. It grows well in Melbourne (now that we have no rain) but would probably struggle in a wetter area. Still, if this plant produces seeds before I leave, I'll take them to my new place and try to grow them in pots. This is a non-invasive Erythrina so shouldn't cause any problems. (Except to the honeyeaters.) And there's always the native species, should E. humeana not thrive.
Just one thing … If the firewheel tree (Stenocarpus sinuatus) also flowers before I leave, I'll be having some words with Mother Nature.
