Ink sketch and watercolour wash on Bockingford 300gsm – 8″ × 12″
Cereus jamacaru (Queen of the Night, Een-nag-blom)
Classification: Cactaceae
Incorrectly referred to as Cereus peruvianus in South Africa.
The Peruvian Apple Cactus, Cereus repandus, is a large, erect, thorny columnar cactus found in South America as well as the nearby ABC Islands of the Dutch Caribbean. It is also known as Giant Club Cactus, Hedge Cactus, cadushi and kayush. With an often tree-like appearance, the Peruvian Apple Cactus’ cylindrical grey-green to blue stems can reach 10 meters (33 ft) in height and 10-20 cm in diameter. The nocturnal flowers remain open for only one night. Unfortunately this plant has been declared an unwanted “invader” in South Africa due to it’s fast-spreading habit.
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Die Kaktus Cereus peruvianus (of Een-nag blom) is ’n boomagtige kaktus, partymaal tot 10m hoog, wat vir net een nag van die jaar asemrowende wit blomme voort bring. Ongelukkig is hierdie kaktus as ’n ongewensde indringerplant verklaar in Suid Afrika as gevolg van hul gewoonte om uiters vinnig te versprei. Daar is groot verwarring oor die eintlike naam van hierdie kaktus, aangesien Cereus vir heelwat kaktussoorte gebruik word. Die spesienaam, peruvianus, dui aan dat dit endemies is aan Peru, maar dit is ’n botaniese fout. Hierdie plant is eintlik endemies aan Brasilië, Uruguay en Argentinië.
Hierdie een groei langs Solly se kaia op ons plot (Tarlton, Gauteng, Suid Afrika) en hy was verskriklik ontsteld toe ek voorstel ons moet dit verwyder. Nou is hy die dood voor die oë gesweer as ek sou sien dat dit enigsins versprei!
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To UNKNOWN from Germany who left such a lovely comment (thank you!), I am unable to reply, have no idea why Google is blocking me, and on top of it, your comment has disappeared, but not before I captured it - here it is :
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for the memories this post brings back: being from Germany, the "Queen of the Night" was something very special and I remember that my mother was waiting together with our neighbour for the night it was finally opening its flower. She would come to us and we would go together with all neighbours from our street in order to see the "miracle". There was no internet at that time and my mother is long dead now. I wonder what she would have said about your painting.
I love your painting style, it's so "light and loose", your colours are so transparent! I'll be happy to read (and see!) more here on your blog. Thank you so much for sharing!
Cheers from Germany, Gabrielle, who starts to find her mojo again - but hasn't unpacked her watercolors yet... ;)