Massonia Echinata

Broad leaves lie flat on the ground, with their upper surfaces covered all over with little threads which are tightly packed so that they look like velvet. In between each leaf pair is a tightly compressed wispy tuft of white to cream coloured flowers, like a little shaving brush. Being dwarf, this plant is ideal for pot cultivation as it naturally makes small bulbs. Most species are winter growers and bloom early so need to be started into growth in late summer, early autumn. They are easily grown from seed, making long-lived pot plants, each year increasing in size. It is local in the South African Cape area where it is found in dry areas.