Split rocks in flower and a mesemb colour show

Split rocks aka Pleiospilos nelii are often difficult to grow and it can be even more difficult to get them to flower. They are real "goldilocks" plants, they need everything to be just right. They grow in a summer rainfall area and dislike being cold and wet but they need to get a little water in winter if you want them to flower. It seems I got it right this year, this is the first time that they have flowered and both are blooming happily.

Side view

This one looks like it is having a bad hair day although that's probably because the flower is older. Today is the first day that I caught the flowers open, they open from midday to around 4pm and although some stay open until early evening, I kept finding that I got home too late from work and the flowers were already closed.

Ruschia maxima stays open all day long, a most obliging little flower. I planted this in the rockery and the stripy leaf next to it is a rare variation of Aloe Striata from the Karasberg area.

Carruanthus is another toothy mesemb, similar to Faucaria (Tiger jaws), that opens in the afternoon but only for around 2 hours

These last ones are Delosperma and they also stay open for most of the day. This is a cutting that I got recently that I am trying to root and so the leaves are a little wrinkled but they will improve soon.

The interesting thing about mesembs is that although they have a lot of pollen, they don't seem to attract honey bees. The tiny little solitary bees love them and do the pollinating instead