western australia

fitzgerald river national park

Another unusual wildflower from Fitzgerald River National Park, Western Australia

@JudyEv (325759)

Rockingham, Australia

January 13, 2018 5:56pm CST

Recently we saw a large number of flowering wildflowers in the Fitzgerald River National Park in south-east Western Australia. The region is quite famous for the Qualup bell but unfortunately we didn’t see any of these on this occasion so I don’t have a photo of a real one. The photo shows one my mother painted on to a piece of china. The taxonomic name is Pimelea physodes and the shrub grows up to a metre tall. The flower heads droop with large cream petals, streaked with red. It occurs naturally in the coastal areas between Albany and Esperance and is notoriously hard to cultivate in domestic gardens.

22 people like this

19 responses

@Kandae11 (53679)

•

14 Jan 18

In the coastal areas the soil would be a bit more damp I suppose. Could that be the reason why they are hard to cultivate in domestic gardens?

4 people like this

@JudyEv (325759)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 Jan 18

Apparently they don't like any humidity. They grow on stony, gravelly ground so perhaps most gardens are too 'cultivated' for them. I know many native plants con't like to be disturbed by digging around them or whatever.

1 person likes this

@Letranknight2015 (51513)

• Philippines

14 Jan 18

That's just a nice china you got there. oh well I bet they are nice plate @JudyEv

3 people like this

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Anne Marie Guyer

@LeaPea2417 (36438)

• Toccoa, Georgia

24 Jan 18

@JudyEv That is a pretty pitcher.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (325759)

• Rockingham, Australia

24 Jan 18

@LeaPea2417 Thanks. I love the autumn tones of the leaves.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (325759)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 Jan 18

Mum has done some lovely china painting. I'm really pleased to have quite a few of the pieces she did.

2 people like this

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@GardenGerty (157552)

• United States

14 Jan 18

Your mother seems to be talented. I really enjoy seeing the flowers that other people have.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (325759)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 Jan 18

I like going through the gardens of my friends. One couple of five acres and it's almost all garden.

@Fishmomma (11377)

• United States

14 Jan 18

The plate is beautiful. I enjoy looking at flowers and sorry to hear you didn't see the flower this time.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (325759)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 Jan 18

I've only seen them once or twice. They are relatively rare.

@Juliaacv (48415)

• Canada

14 Jan 18

Its a pretty looking flower, it reminds me of an inverted tulip. Are they fragrant at all?

3 people like this

@JudyEv (325759)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 Jan 18

They are quite rare really and I haven't seen too many. I can't remember if they have a perfume or not.

1 person likes this

@misunderstood_zombie (8142)

• United States

14 Jan 18

@JudyEv I guess it just doesn't want to be a tame garden flower, it just wants to be free.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (325759)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 Jan 18

A lot of the native plants don't like a lot of fuss made of them. They don't like their roots disturbed by digging or whatever.

1 person likes this

@misunderstood_zombie (8142)

• United States

14 Jan 18

@JudyEv I thought that might be it.

1 person likes this

@youless (112112)

• Guangzhou, China

15 Jan 18

Wow! That's must be so beautiful. It sounds it is a nice moment to travel there

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (325759)

• Rockingham, Australia

15 Jan 18

It is very pretty country but quite rugged.

1 person likes this

@shaggin (71664)

• United States

14 Jan 18

It’s odd how some plants grow to naturally droop. Mine just do that because I kill them

2 people like this

@JudyEv (325759)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 Jan 18

My heart sinks every time I've given a pot plant as I know I'm never going to be able to keep it alive.

1 person likes this

@vandana7 (98826)

• India

14 Jan 18

My...your mother was a good painter! Do you also paint?

2 people like this

@JudyEv (325759)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 Jan 18

I'm not a bad house-painter but that's about it I'm afraid.

1 person likes this

@silvermist (19702)

• India

14 Jan 18

Your mother was a very talented painter.Both the painting of the flower and the china painting are beautiful.

1 person likes this

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@silvermist (19702)

• India

17 Jan 18

@JudyEv (325759)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 Jan 18

Thank you. She really enjoyed painting on china.

1 person likes this

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@Madshadi (8849)

• Brussels, Belgium

14 Jan 18

Too bad you didn’t see any. Maybe they don’t bloom at this time of year?

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (325759)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 Jan 18

I don't think there are ever dozens of them so you have to be really lucky to see them.

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@Butchcass4 (5895)

• United States

14 Jan 18

Thanks for sharing about that beautiful flower. I am so longing for Spring here in Northeastern PA in the United States. We have ice on the ground with snow covering it right now and its 19 degrees. The sun has been shinning today but it was only 25 degrees at its warmest. I do not like winter, well I think the snow is beautiful on the trees and stuff but I won't go out in it unless I have to. Shame, when I was a kid I lived outside when the snow came. I'm so different now. I'm a home body and my husband is definitely an out doors person. If the sun is shinning he's usually out and about otherwise he's on the couch sleeping, eating and watching tv lol!

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (325759)

• Rockingham, Australia

15 Jan 18

It's good that the sun shines then and gets your husband outside!

@hostessman (11871)

• Tucson, Arizona

15 Jan 18

looks very pretty, i love flowers and i have them around my yard

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (325759)

• Rockingham, Australia

15 Jan 18

My Mum was a great gardener but I'm pretty hopeless.

@JustBhem (70555)

• Davao, Philippines

14 Jan 18

Your Mother is a great painter. I thought it came with the china.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (325759)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 Jan 18

She did quite a bit of china painting over the years and I'm lucky enough to have quite a bit of it.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (325759)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 Jan 18

@JustBhem No, it was just a hobby for her.

1 person likes this

@JustBhem (70555)

• Davao, Philippines

14 Jan 18

@JudyEv Wow. Is she a professional painter for that matter?

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@yanzalong (18984)

• Indonesia

14 Jan 18

That new type of flower for me. It's great if we have a photo of it.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (325759)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 Jan 18

Our Australian wildflowers are very different to many 'ordinary' garden flowers. Here is one called a kangaroo paw.

1 person likes this

changjiangzhibin89

@changjiangzhibin89 (16533)

• China

14 Jan 18

Your mother did a lifelike drawing of the Pimelea physodes.I have searched it online ,which is a really particular plant.

www.burkesbackyard.com.au

Qualup bell (Pimelea physodes) is native to Western Australia. It features drooping flower heads surrounded by large, cream bracts streaked…

@jstory07 (134458)

• Roseburg, Oregon

14 Jan 18

The flower looks really pretty and you did a good job of letting us know about it. I can close my eyes and picture it.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (325759)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 Jan 18

Oh thank you!

I like to use my own photos where possible but I don't have one of the qualup bell yet.

Lenore Plassman

@sallypup (57858)

• Centralia, Washington

14 Jan 18

Your Mother had quite the talent. That's a sweet heritage piece.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (325759)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 Jan 18

I'm really pleased to have quite a few of the items she painted.

@JohnRoberts (109857)

• Los Angeles, California

14 Jan 18

Nicely done paint job on the plate.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (325759)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 Jan 18

Mum did some really good work when she was china-painting. I have quite a few of her pieces.

1 person likes this