Avonia buderiana

Avonia buderiana

(This plant comes in a 2.5 inch pot. You will receive a very similar plant to the one in the picture. It may or may not be blooming at the time of your purchase. The plant is shipped in its pot to prevent any damage to the roots).

Avonia buderiana

Habitat and ecology: It is small highly specialized plant that grows in full sun on high quartz ridges and slopes in arid conditions. The unique white scales reflect much of the light and act as sun-shades over the tiny leaves beneath. Whole plants mimic bird droppings or the white rocks in which they frequently grow and have been regarded as "mimicry plants", for long escaping the eyes of even the most attentive field workers.

Description: The leaf covering stipules are silvery-white, overlapping, scale-like but loosely positioned over the tiny leaves and adpressed to the stems. They give the plant an untidy, characteristic papery appearance. In the typical plants the scale tips are turned outwards.

Flowers: White and scented with about 15 stamens. The beige-brown withered flower remains from the previous season can be seen on the bigger stems of the plant.

Water Requirements: Drought-tolerant
Bloom Time: Mid-summer

Some of the information in this description has been found at desert-tropicals.com, llifle.com and cactus-art.biz