"Kirstenbosch fireworks: the closest I want to to be to any fireworks - no human intent, just the inviting quiet bloom of discreet ecological being." - Vernon Chalmers
Featherhead flowers (Phylica pubescens)
"Featherhead" most commonly refers to the plant Phylica pubescens, a shrub native to South Africa with soft, hair-covered leaves and feathery flower heads that bloom in autumn and winter. These flowers are white with a cinnamon scent and are popular in floral arrangements because they dry well. Another, less common use of the term is to describe certain feather-like flowers such as those in the Celosia genus, often called Cockscomb or Woolflower, notes Shutterstock.
More About Phylica pubescens (Featherhead)
- Description: A shrub with narrow, leathery, hair-covered leaves and feathery flower heads that are often buff or grey-colored. The tiny white flowers have a faint cinnamon scent.
- Appearance: The "feather" appearance comes from the fine hairs on the leaves and the feathery, protective bracts around the flowers. It can glow beautifully when backlit by the sun.
- Blooming season: Autumn and winter.
- Uses: Popular in fresh and dried floral arrangements, often used as a filler to complement other flowers.
- Ecology: Native to the Southwestern Cape of South Africa, it attracts pollinators like bees, flies, and beetles.
Copyright Vernon Chalmers Photography
