Diosma flower

Diosma flower

Diosma hirusta ' Blue Downs' belongs to the Rutaceae family commonly referred to as the citrus family and is easily identified by the presence of volatile oil glands crushed or when brushing against this bush. D. hirsuta' Blue Downs' is a selected form of D. hirsuta known as the wild buchu. The 'Blue Downs' form is an attractive single-stemmed shrub with a round growth habit and grows to a height of 0.5 to 1 m. It forms a neat, upright shrub with beautiful greyish green foliage, which is characteristics of this 'Blue Downs' form and makes it stand out amongst other plants in the garden. The leaves are alternate, linear, 5-10 mm long, and pointed at the tips. A close look at the new foliage reveals fine white hairs on the leaves and on new branches/stems. The new branches or shoots are cream-coloured to light brown, whereas the older stems are dark brown. Tiny, white, 5-petalled, cup-shaped flowers, each 5-7 mm across, are borne in clusters of 5 or more at the tips of branches. Flowering time is from September to November. Plump dark green fruit develop on bushes after and during flowering: one can easily spot the oil glands on the fruits, which release a fragrant aroma when touched. The fruit is a 5-chambered seed capsule bearing one black and shiny seed per chamber. As the fruit ripens or matures, it turns from light green to a darker green. The seed capsule can also be tested for ripeness by pressing the seed capsule between your fingers: if it feels hard and not soft, it can be collected. Diosma hirsuta occurs naturally on rocky sandstone and clay slopes and on sandy and often gravelly soils from the Cederberg Mountains to Humansdorp. This grey leafed form was collected on at Blue Downs on the Cape Flats.