Lady's hand facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lady's hand |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Cyanella
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| Species: |
hyacinthoides
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| Synonyms | |
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Cyanella pentheri Zahlbr. |
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Cyanella hyacinthoides is a beautiful plant often called "lady's hand" or "Raaptoluintjie". It grows from a special underground stem called a corm, which is like a bulb. This plant can be an annual, meaning it lives for one year, or a perennial, meaning it lives for many years. You can find it growing naturally in the western parts of South Africa.
What Does Lady's Hand Look Like?
The Lady's Hand plant has leaves that grow in a circle close to the ground. This is called a basal rosette. Its leaves are long and narrow, shaped like a spear. They also have wavy edges, which makes them look interesting.
The flowers of the Lady's Hand plant are very pretty. They can be mauve, pink, purple, or blue. Sometimes, you might even find rare white ones! These flowers have a soft, pleasant smell. They grow on a spreading stem, called an inflorescence, during Spring. In the southern hemisphere, this is usually from August to November. The whole plant can grow up to 40 centimeters (about 16 inches) tall.
Where Does Lady's Hand Grow?
This plant is native to the Cape region of South Africa. It especially likes to grow in an area called the renosterveld. This is a type of grassland with shrubs. Lady's Hand usually grows in rich, loamy soil on slopes made of clay and granite.
Its natural home stretches quite far. You can find it as far north as the Namaqualand region. It also grows southwards into the Overberg region of the southern Cape. The southernmost place it's found is near the town of Riversdale. Interestingly, this plant has also been reported growing in Western Australia, where it is not native.
Special Uses and How it Survives
The underground bulb of the Lady's Hand plant is edible. Once it's cooked, people say it can be used as a substitute for an onion in recipes.
This plant is quite tough when it comes to dry weather. It can handle periods without much rain. However, it doesn't like cold weather. Frost can easily damage or kill the plant.
