What’s in Bloom

This evergreen succulent from east tropical Africa is known for its towering height potential (it can grow up to nearly 10 feet tall—ours are about 2.5 feet tall now), as well as its vibrant red blooms that appear like sparks. We received an Aloe nyeriensis in 1969 and have been growing and propagating it ever since. Growing Aloe nyeriensis completely in-house is a process that takes more than 16 months of two warm cycles and a cold cycle, with manipulated daylength along the way. In the West Conservatory, its brilliant flower spikes rise above the foliage in a bold and splendid display, commanding attention and adding striking vertical interest to the space.  Discover a variety of colorful aloes currently in bloom in our West Conservatory!  

Leucospermum ‘Brandi Dela Cruz’ is a South African shrub known around the world as a popular cut flower. In South Africa, it is a popular garden plant producing bright orange pincushion flowers that are 5 inches wide and held on 30-inch stems. The genus name Leucospermum comes from the Greek word 'leukos' meaning "white", and 'sperma' meaning "seed". This is in reference to the white fleshy skin that covers the seeds. This evergreen shrub that will grow upwards of 7 feet tall if the flowers are not cut annually. 

Native to the central United States, this witch-hazel has small, fragrant, strap-like flowers that start to bloom in early January.  It has a low branching habit and the tendency to sucker to form colonies.  Our large plant behind the Main Fountain Garden, was planted by Pierre du Pont before 1954 and is 20 feet tall and over 40 feet across.   

The small, fragrant, nodding white flowers of snowdrops are a welcome sight in February.  These small bulbs naturalize in woodland gardens with rich, moist soil.  Native to the eastern Mediterranean region and southern Ukraine, these perennials combine well with winter-aconite and witch-hazels.

Aloe striata × maculata is a hybrid aloe, combining characteristics of Aloe striata (the "coral aloe") and Aloe maculata (the "spotted aloe"). Though there is considerable variability, these plants usually have light coral to darker orange three-foot flowers rising above rosettes of lightly spotted leaves that have soft teeth along their margins. The term "ghost" likely refers to the plant’s light-colored appearance and striking contrast to the more vibrant, typical green hues seen in many other aloes. When exposed to cold winter temperatures, the frosty, light-colored leaves acquire an amethyst purple tint.  


 

Japanese camellias have glossy evergreen leaves and rose-like flowers in various shades of pink, red, and white that bloom at Longwood throughout the winter.  These beautiful flowering shrubs were one of Pierre S. du Pont’s favorite flowers and one of the first species planted in the Conservatory upon its completion in 1921.

Safari Orange aloe, Aloe ‘ANDora’, provides winter color thanks to showy spikes of brilliant orange flower clusters, which attract hummingbirds when grown outside. This hybrid Safari Orange is a result of a breeding program that started in South Africa in 1973 that was looking for hybrid aloe selections that had ideal horticultural characteristics such as vigor, flowering consistency, and disease resistance. This perennial succulent needs excellent drainage when grown in pots.

One of the most interesting features of many Grevillea species is their intricate, tube-shaped flowers that attract specific pollinators. The flowers' long tubular shapes are ideal for birds with long beaks, while their colors and nectar production make them irresistible. It's a great example of co-evolution between plant and pollinator. Although the tree is native to Australia, it was originally introduced to many parts of the world, including Africa and the Pacific Islands, where it became an exotic ornamental plant. Because of its rapid growth and long-lasting wood, some people referred to it as the "Australian timber that traveled the world.“ The Aboriginal people of Australia have a long history of utilizing Grevillea plants in a variety of ways. Some species of Grevillea, particularly the larger, woody shrubs and trees, have a remarkable ability to regenerate after bushfires, which are common in Australia. Grevilleas have adapted to fire-prone environments by having a "fire-resistant" seed bank. Even though the plant might burn down in a fire, the seeds in the soil are often able to survive the heat and sprout anew once the fire has passed. 

Named for its velvety orange-red flowers that resemble the paws of a kangaroo, this striking plant is native to Western Australia. These evergreen shrubs form clumps of narrow green leaves from which stalks of brightly hued flowers emerge. This kangaroo paw variety is specifically bred to attract honeyeaters, native Australian birds that specialize in sipping nectar. So fond are they of this plant’s nectar that they often neglect to wipe their beaks on nearby branches after feeding, carrying pollen from one ‘Bush Ranger’ to another and facilitating pollination with little effort. Look for additional cultivars to appear in the West Conservatory in the coming weeks.

Trifidacanthus unifoliolatus is a unique leguminous shrub, in fact the only species in its genus Trifidacanthus. Native to Southeast Asia, including Hainan (China), Vietnam, the Philippines, it grows in wet tropical and semi‐open habitats. One distinctive feature is its trifid (three‐pointed) spines, which develop from old flowering stems and stalks as these structures harden. The leaves are relatively small leathery, and often have a single leaflet (hence its specific epithet unifoliolatus), despite being in a genus of legumes. The plant blooms from spring through summer with small purple, flowers that smell similar to grapes,. In horticulture it is sometimes called the “Vietnamese Blue Bell Tree,” and is cultivated ornamentally (including as bonsai), for its attractive flowers and unusual, twisty and spiny growth habit.

Clerodendrum quadriloculare commonly known as starburst or shooting star glorybower, is a tropical standout!  In late winter to early spring, clusters of pink tubes open into starry white flowers, creating a dramatic, firework-like display above the foliage. The large leaves are deep green with rich purple undersides, and some selections feature variegation.  Native to New Guinea and the Philippines, this fast-growing shrub can reach 6–12 feet tall in warm climates and thrives in bright light with well-drained soil.  Our winter-blooming standards are featured in the Orangery and East Conservatory. Each plant is carefully trained into tree form over approximately 2½ years by growing a single trunk and shaping a rounded head. While some are displayed for a second season, we propagate new plants each year to ensure the highest quality specimens.

Clivia miniata is a signature feature of our indoor display, bringing flowing sweeps of color to the West Conservatory this season. Planted throughout the space, these vibrant blooms create a warm and inviting landscape of color that complements the West Conservatory’s architecture and surrounding Mediterranean-inspired plant palette. Native to southern Africa and a member of the amaryllis family, it is known for its large umbels of orange, yellow, red, and even green flowers held above glossy, deep-green or variegated strap-like foliage. Together, they provide a distinctive and much-anticipated seasonal highlight within the West Conservatory! 

This rare yellow-flowered clivia, ‘Sir John Thouron,’ was named for Sir John Thouron, who gardened at Glencoe Farms in Pennsylvania. He received the plant from Queen Elizabeth II in Scotland many years ago and brought it to Philadelphia in the 1950s. Longwood Gardens later facilitated the naming of the cultivar and its distribution, and the plant ultimately helped launch Longwood’s clivia breeding program in 1976. In the early 1990s, White Flower Farm made the first commercial offering of this remarkable clivia, selling 36 plants at $950 each, and in 1999 Mrs. Lammot du Pont Copeland exhibited one at the Philadelphia Flower Show, earning the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society Award for the highest-scoring blue ribbon entry. Today, the Clivia Legacy Collection reflects more than 50 years of breeding at Longwood and serves as a valuable germplasm resource. ‘Sir John Thouron’ greets visitors in the East Conservatory, setting the stage for a spectacular display in the West Conservatory, where Longwood’s exceptional clivia releases are now on view, an inspiring showcase of color, form, and decades of horticultural innovation not to be missed.