Sternbergia

Sternbergia clusiana is one of the striking and protected bulbs in Israel, it is rather rare, found in patches in semi-arid areas. During its blooming time its site are places of pilgrim for many nature lovers. The huge flowers are 6-10 cm long. The flowers bloom before the strong rains arrive later in November-Decenmer, only than the leaves will sprout and the flowers will be long gone. This year we re-located the highest population in Mt Hermon, the first one to bloom.

As u can see, I took many pictures of this autumnal plant. They are so beautiful hidden in the rocks...

Here u can see the habitat more clearly.

This is a closeup of the same flower (see my previous pics). At the petal tip you can see an osmophore - a gland that secrete insect attrating scent.

The higher population of this species grows in altitude 2185 m. in very arid, wind swept conditions.

This beautiful bulb grows often in corck crvices where mole-rates, porcupines and other bulb-eating animals cannot reach it. Look for more pics of this flower in my previous posts.

The sternbergias often grow in rocks, where molerats, procupines anfd other animals cannot dig them out.

I posted some sternbergia flower pictures recently. This is a fruit picture, taken last year.

This pic was much too bright and burnt. It was tricky since the pic has large contrast between the bright flowers in the sun and the shaded ones. I was lucky to have the raw file and managed to fix it a bit.

as u can see, I cannot get enough of Sternbergias, this time blooming in Jerusalem.

Another pic of these excuisite flowers. They used to grow on the other side of the botanical garden hill, just before and school and a highway were built there, they rescued and replanted in hte botanical garden in the 80s. Since than, the are flourishing and new plants occur every year.

Every year we are amazed again and again from the Sternbergia flowers. This time I couldn't bend down, so I put the camera on the ground, next to the flowers and just photographed.

and another closeup of these magnificent flowers. This is a protected bulb in Israel, it is rather rare, found in patches all over the eastern parts of the country. During its blooming time, its sites are places of pilgrim for nature lovers. The huge flowers are visited by many insects that are attracted to the scents secreted in small glands, found at the petal's tips.

and they still bloom...

and thats the same flowers from a different angle

I have posted autumn pictures of flowers of this beautiful plant. This time we found it in the last monute before drying for the long summer and with green fruits full of seed.

Every year w r excited to see these flowers again.

Last look at this beautiful autumnal flower, we will wait till next year for its impressive bloom.

This is a protected bulb in Israel, it is rather rare, found in patches in semi-arid areas. During its blooming time its site are places of pilgrim for many nature lovers. The huge flowers are 6-10 cm long. Here you can the flowers, blooming before the strong rains arrive later in November-Decenmer, only than the leaves will sprout and the flowers will be long gone.

This is the fruit of a striking autum flower.

Every year we are amazed again and again from the Sternbergia flowers.

and this time with Cocchicum feinbruniae

Every year we are amazed again and again from the Sternbergia flowers. This is a protected bulb in Israel, it is rather rare, found in patches all over the eastern parts of the country. During its blooming time, its sites are places of pilgrim for nature lovers. The huge flowers are visited by many insects that are attracted to the scents secreted in small glands, found at the petal's tips.

These are the dry leaves of an impressive autumnal flower.