Tuesday, March 26, 2013

ABC Wednesday
March 27th, 2013

The letter is K

Not the easiest letter when you are looking for something botanical that begins with K


Here is Kalkwitzia Amabilis
 
most commonly known as a Beauty Bush
 
Amabilis means 'lovely' and it is a most apt descriptive name
 
A Chinese shrub of the Honeysuckle family
the bush was twice discovered in Central China, - once by the Jesuit
Missionary Giuseppe Giraldi in Shensi, and then in western
Hubei province by E.H. 'Chinese' Wilson, who was collecting for Veitch Nurseries.
 
It was named for Richard Kolkwitz, a professor of botany in Berlin.
 
The shrub was first grown in the Veitch Nurseries in 1901
and became very popular in the U.S. following World War 1,
almost a defining shrub in American gardens between the World Wars.
 
The flowers are pinkish, with yellow throats and very fragrant.
It is attractive to bees, butterflies and birds.
The fruit is bristly, which proves, I guess, that you can't have everything!
 
In full sun the shrub will grow 8-10 feet tall,  requiring a fair amount of space
as the branches are very arching.
It is propogated by soft wood cuttings, and I would love to find one of these
lovely shrubs and try a soft wood cutting!  I would put it in the corner of the back garden
and it could have all the space it wanted.........
 
Here is a close-up of the beautiful bell shaped flowers,
which grow in pairs.
 
 
For more K's go here, to ABC Wednesday
and thank you to all who work with this wonderful meme.

12 comments:

Reader Wil said...

How beautiful! Each week I look forward to seeing your blog. Thank you also for your visit! I hope you are okay.
Have a great week.
Wil, ABCW Team.

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

It's a beauty bush indeed. You definitely had to do some research to find the "K" flower. (I never know anything but the common name of anything. If that!)

carol l mckenna said...

Beautiful and informative post for K ~ excellent photography ~ ^_^

LONDONLULU said...

It's lovely! A very beautiful and Spring-y "K" choice.

Pamela Terry and Edward said...

You were so KIND, to tell me that your Daughter in Law is enjoying my book! I'm so glad!
xoxo,
pamela

Carver said...

I think K is hard too. You did a great job with it. Beautiful flowers. Carver, ABC Wed. Team

Roger Owen Green said...

kwite lovely
ROG, ABC Wednesday team

Leslie: said...

Beautiful flowers on the shrub.

Leslie
abcw team

MaR said...

Beautiful!! I am ready for flowers :)

K is for...

Gattina said...

A beautiful flower with a complicated name !
Gattina
ABC Wednesday

The Weaver of Grass said...

I don't know this plant at all Hildred but it is very beautiful. Cheers me up on a very snowy day here.

Chubskulit Rose said...

That's gorgeous!

Keeping the Balance
Catching up with letter K (again).
Rose, ABC Wednesday Team