Northern grandiflora facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Northern grandiflora
Verticordia nobilis growing 30km east of Geraldton
Scientific classification
Genus:	Verticordia
Species:	nobilis

Verticordia nobilis, also called the northern grandiflora, is a beautiful flowering plant. It belongs to the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. This plant grows only in the south-west part of Western Australia. It's a bushy plant with thin leaves and sweet-smelling yellow flowers. These flowers change to a deep red color as they get older.

Discovering the Northern Grandiflora

Verticordia nobilis is a shrub that can grow up to 1 m (3 ft) tall. It can also spread out to 0.75 m (2 ft) wide. This plant usually has one main stem and a few side branches. Its leaves are long and thin, about 5–15 mm (0.2–0.6 in) in length. The leaves near the flowers are a bit wider.

The Unique Flowers

The flowers of this plant grow in groups near the ends of the branches. Each flower sits on a stalk that is 10–25 mm (0.4–1 in) long. The base of the flower, called the floral cup, is about 3 mm (0.1 in) long.

The sepals, which are like small leaves protecting the flower, are yellow. They turn red as the flower ages. These sepals are 5–7 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long and have fuzzy edges. The petals are also yellow and spread out. They are 5–6 mm (0.20–0.24 in) long and have many thin, finger-like parts. The central part of the flower, the style, is 4–6 mm (0.16–0.24 in) long and straight. You can see these lovely flowers from August to November.

Plant Name and History

The plant Verticordia nobilis was first officially described in 1856. This was done by a scientist named Carl Meisner. He studied a plant sample collected by James Drummond. Drummond found it near the Smith River, which is now called the Nambung River.

Meisner thought this plant was very beautiful. He noted it was quite similar to another plant, Verticordia grandiflora. The name nobilis comes from a Latin word. It means "celebrated" or "noble."

How Scientists Classify It

In 1991, a botanist named Alex George looked closely at the Verticordia group of plants. He placed Verticordia nobilis into a smaller group called Unguiculata. Other plants in this group include V. grandiflora and V. rutilastra. This helps scientists understand how different plants are related.

Where Northern Grandiflora Grows

This type of Verticordia plant usually grows in sandy soil. It can also be found in gravelly or loamy soils. Often, it grows alongside other Verticordia species. You can find it in areas known as kwongan and shrubland.

It lives in several regions of Western Australia. These include Kalbarri National Park, Gingin, and Coorow. These areas are part of the Avon Wheatbelt, Geraldton Sandplains, Jarrah Forest, and Swan Coastal Plain biogeographic regions.

Protecting This Plant

The Western Australian Government's Department of Parks and Wildlife has looked into the status of Verticordia nobilis. They have classified it as "Not Threatened." This means the plant is not currently at risk of disappearing.

Growing Northern Grandiflora at Home

It's fairly easy to grow northern grandiflora. You can start new plants from both cuttings (small pieces of the plant) and seeds. Young plants might take a little while to get started in a garden.

However, once they are established, they are quite strong. They do best in sunny spots with not too much humidity. They also seem to handle frost better than V. grandiflora.