Fynbos Corridor Collaboration

Data sources

Cluster Spiderhead

Serruria glomerata

© (c) Callum Evans, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Callum Evans (CC-BY-NC)

Description - from Wikipedia

Serruria glomerata, the cluster spiderhead, is a flower-bearing shrub that belongs to the genus Serruria and forms part of the fynbos. The plant is native to the Western Cape, occurring on the Cape Flats and Cape Peninsula. The shrub is erect and grows only 40 cm tall and bears flowers from August to October.
Fire destroys the plant but the seeds survive. Two months after flowering, the fruit falls off and ants disperse the seeds. They store the seeds in their nests. The plant is unisexual. Pollination takes place through the action of insects. The plant grows in sandy soil at altitudes of 0–330 m.
In Afrikaans it is known as trosspinnekopbos.

References
External links
Media related to Serruria glomerata at Wikimedia Commons
"Threatened Species Programme | SANBI Red List of South African Plants". redlist.sanbi.org. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
"Serruria glomerata (Cluster spiderhead)". biodiversityexplorer.info. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
"Serruria glomerata | PlantZAfrica". pza.sanbi.org. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
"Curly Spiderheads". proteaatlas.org.za. Retrieved 14 January 2022.

Read more here

PlantZA Redlist Wikipedia iNaturalist

Species Characteristics

Wildlife supported

Bees Bees

Tolerances & suitability

Good potplant Good potplant

Growth features

Easy to grow Easy to grow

Social features

Attractive Attractive
Fragrant Fragrant

Aspect

Sun Sun

Plant types

Shrub Shrub

Soils

Soil: sandy
Flowering Period
  • Cream
  • White
Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov

Propagation

By Seed

Serruria glomerata can be propagated by seed or cuttings. Collect seed from a mature flowerhead, either by repeated visits, or cover the flowerhead with a light cloth or stocking to catch the seeds as they drop, or remove the head after the last flowers have finished flowering and place in a tray in the drying room. Sow in late summer or early autumn when the days are warm but the nights are cold, as this temperature difference initiates germination. Alternatively, the seeds can be exposed to alternating periods of high and low temperatures to mimic the Cape autumn temperatures. Use a well-drained, sterile soil mix, cover lightly and place in a warm spot. Treat the seed with a fungicide that prevents both pre- and post-emergence damping off. Transplant the seedlings as soon as they are large enough to handle.

By Cutting

Take tip or heel cuttings in spring or autumn. Use a rooting hormone suitable for semi-hardwood cuttings and root in a well-aerated soil mixture in a propagation unit with underbench heating of ± 24°C and overhead mist. Rooting should occur from 5 weeks. After rooting, harden off for 4 weeks and then plant into pots or bags.
Grow Serruria glomerata seedlings and cuttings in a well-drained (sandy), acidic soil mix suitable for fynbos, e.g. a mixture of river sand, composted pine bark and loam. Do not feed with strong fertiliser, preferably feed with more frequent small doses of an organic liquid fertiliser. Plant out into the garden in autumn to allow the young plant to become established during the cool, wet winter before the onset of the hot, dry summer.

Nursery availability

No nursery stock found.

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