Verticordia Facts for Kids

For the clam genus, see Verticordia (bivalve).

Quick facts for kids Verticordia

V. plumosa growing on Mount Melville
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Myrtales
Family:	Myrtaceae
Tribe:	Chamelaucieae
Genus:	*Verticordia* DC.
Species
List of Verticordia species

Verticordia is a group of over 100 types of plants. They are often called featherflowers because of their unique look. These plants belong to the Myrtaceae family, which also includes myrtle trees.

Featherflowers come in many shapes and sizes. Some are tiny shrubs, while others can grow into small trees. Most are woody shrubs, usually up to 2 meters (about 6.5 feet) tall. Their flowers are special, often described as "feathery," "woolly," or "hairy." You can find them in almost every color, except blue.

Even though they might look like they grow in big bunches, each featherflower is actually a single bloom. Each flower has five sepals and five petals, which are usually similar in size. The sepals often have feathery or hairy parts. Most featherflowers have ten stamens, which are the parts that produce pollen.

Almost all Verticordia species grow in Southwest Australia. Only two species are found in the Northern Territory. The first scientific collection of these plants was made in 1791. The name Verticordia was first used in 1828.

Featherflowers grow in many different places. Some are common, while others are rare and in danger. Their beautiful and colorful flowers are often picked for floristry (making flower arrangements). People also simply enjoy seeing them as wildflowers in nature.

What Are Featherflowers?
- Flower Details
- Plant Appearance
How Featherflowers Were Discovered
Where Featherflowers Grow
Growing Featherflowers in Gardens
Images for kids
See also

What Are Featherflowers?

Featherflowers are famous for their amazing flowers. These flowers create stunning displays in woodlands and open areas. People have always admired these shrubs, even before Europeans arrived in Australia. The fringed or feathered look of the flowers, along with their bright colors, gives them their common name: featherflower.

There is a huge variety among the different types of featherflowers. Each species has its own unique look.

V. chrysantha in Kalbarri National Park

Painting by Ellis Rowan; V. grandis, V. huegelii, V. brachypoda

Verticordia plants are part of the Myrtaceae family. This family mostly grows in the southern half of the world. Many plants in this family, including featherflowers, are found in Australia.

Featherflowers are native to Western Australia and the Northern Territory. They are closely related to other plants like Chamelaucium, Rylstonea, and Darwinia.

Flower Details

Each single featherflower often stands upright. They can grow alone or in tight groups. Flowers might appear one after another or all at once. Their color can even change as the flower gets older, making them look even more artistic.

The sepals of the flowers are usually divided into thread-like or feathery parts. Only one species, Verticordia verticordina, has sepals that are not divided. The colors of the sepals and petals are very diverse. They can be one solid color, or they can have many different colors. They can even change color!

You can find featherflowers in all colors except blue. All featherflowers have both male and female parts in the same flower. Different types of featherflowers can grow together. When they bloom, they create beautiful contrasts in the landscape.

Plant Appearance

Featherflowers vary a lot in how they look. Most are woody shrubs, growing from low to the ground up to 2 meters (about 6.5 feet) tall. However, two types found in tropical areas can grow up to 7 meters (about 23 feet) tall.

Their branches can grow straight up, spread out, or even hang down. They can be tightly packed or spread out. The leaves are usually very small or medium-sized. They can be scattered or grow opposite each other on the stem. The shape of the leaves can be very different from one species to another.

Sometimes, different species of featherflowers can mix together to form new types called hybrids. For example, a plant called 'Eric John' seems to be a mix between V. plumosa and Chamelaucium floriferum.

How Featherflowers Were Discovered

The first European to collect featherflower plants was Archibald Menzies. He was on a ship called HMS Discovery in 1791. He found these plants near King George Sound. But his discoveries were not officially described for 35 years.

The first official description of a plant now known as a featherflower was in 1826. It was described by René Louiche Desfontaines. This plant had been collected by Robert Brown in 1802. Brown was a naturalist on HMS Investigator. The plant was first named Chamaelaucium brownii.

The name Verticordia was first used in 1828 by Augustin Pyramus de Candolle. He moved Chamelaucium brownii (now called Verticordia brownii) and another plant, Chamelaucium fontanesii (now Verticordia plumosa), into this new group.

De Candolle didn't explain where the name Verticordia came from. But people generally believe it refers to the ancient Roman goddess Venus. Venus's special flower was the myrtle, which is in the same plant family as Verticordia. The name Verticordia means 'turner of hearts'.

Over the years, more featherflower species were discovered and named. For example, V. cunninghamii was named in 1843. V. huegelii and V. insignis were described in 1837. Many other species were found by botanists like Ludwig Preiss.

In 1991, a scientist named Alex George studied the Verticordia group in detail. He described 84 new species and types. He organized all featherflowers into three main groups and 24 smaller sections. This way of organizing them helps scientists understand how they are related.

Where Featherflowers Grow

Verticordia plants naturally grow in woodlands, sandy open areas, and on granite rocks. The largest number of featherflower species are found in the Southwest of Western Australia. This area has a Mediterranean climate, with very dry summers and wet winters. The sandy soils there are perfect for them.

Growing Featherflowers in Gardens

Featherflowers are loved for their beautiful, feathery flowers. People often want to grow them in their gardens or use them as cut flowers. In Western Australia, there are rules about picking wildflowers. In the past, too much picking for the flower industry put some species at risk.

Featherflowers can be a bit tricky to grow in gardens. But some people have had success. The easiest species to grow is V. Plumosa, the Plumed Featherflower. Many other species need very specific conditions to grow well.

Outside of their natural home, featherflowers grow best in areas of Australia with a mild climate. All species need soil that drains water very well. They also prefer a Mediterranean-type climate, with dry summers and wet winters.

It has been hard to grow Verticordia in the eastern parts of Australia. Many species don't like the wet summers there. They can get root rot or molds. Some successful growers have used special methods, like covering them with bell jars. They also pay close attention to the soil type. Some even try grafting them onto related plants, like Darwinia citriodora or Geraldton Wax (Chamelaucium uncinatum).