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I ran away from teaching to the country to grow veggies. There are also some chooks and a pair of troublesome goats who were so much trouble they had to go! My simple green life isn't always as simple or as green as I'd like...but I keep trying!

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Winter Wednesday # 8

Pink Heath has to be one of the most joyous
things about Winter.


Common Pink Heath is the floral emblem for the State of Victoria.
It flowers from Autumn through to Spring but is at its best in Winter.



 As its name suggests,
it is common and also comes in white 
and a darker pink/almost red.

Common it may be,
but it is also impressive.


Its 2 cm (a little less than 1 inch) flower tubes
have nectar at their base and pollen close
to the opening.   Nectar eating birds, are lightly dusted
when they probe the flower with their long beaks 
and become unwitting pollinators.

But that's not all.

File:Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris female.jpg
Photo credit.
The  microscopic pollen grains have narrow fins 
that slide between the edges of the bird's feathers 
so that they are efficiently carried away.

Now, that is IMPRESSIVE

So it will come as no surprise that the botanical name 
for the common heath  is  epacris impressa!

Click on these links to other bloggers 
who also find joy in winter

Rose's Mum has a winter visitor in her bed
Our Malay-Kadazan girl is making winter bombs!
Snuggle up with Angela Earthmama
Phoebe is getting dirty looks over at Ballynoe Cottage
Kristi likes a bit of winter rain
Alison is into extreme monotremes
Suzanne is enchanted with waiting
Mrs Gooseberry is baking up a winter storm
Her heart may be Asia but she is celebrating some winter whiteness
There is some wild beauty over at The New Good Life
Barb loves lots of things about Winter in W.A.
Ali is peeling her lips of and her son has feet like a chicken...I think???

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20 comments:

  1. RohrerbotJuly 20, 2011 at 2:10 AM

    I LOVE your ominous headline photo....it's really cool. Winter?:) HA!!! It's still hotter than sun's surface here in Tucson. I'd love a little cool air right now.:)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Mark and GazJuly 20, 2011 at 2:36 AM

    There's still so much to see even on cold winter months :) Great shot of the bird!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Mark WillisJuly 20, 2011 at 4:40 AM

    OK, yes, at first I thought you had taken that photo of the bird, then I followed the "Photo credit" link, but I do have to say that you take such amazing photos that you could easily convince me that it was yours...

    ReplyDelete
  4. Malay-Kadazan girlJuly 20, 2011 at 8:13 AM

    Lovely wild flower for this chilly winter. It stands out with is pretty pink colour.
    Happy Winter Wednesday.
    http://kebunmalaykadazangirls.blogspot.com/2011/07/how-to-make-edible-bombwinter-wednesday.html

    ReplyDelete
  5. angelaJuly 20, 2011 at 8:15 AM

    love the wildflowers, but its usually so cold and wet we dont get out to see them.
    So thanks for the photos, we get to see the beauty but stay nice and warm. I have posted a winter wed too!

    ReplyDelete
  6. RoseJuly 20, 2011 at 9:02 AM

    Great photos Hazel! lol at the words in the link to my WW.

    ReplyDelete
  7. KristiJuly 20, 2011 at 9:20 AM

    Grats on the bird photo & your right that is very impressive :)
    Link up to my Winter Wednesday
    http://we-make-it-work.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  8. PhoebeJuly 20, 2011 at 9:41 AM

    Tis indeed impressive the impressa! It's regenerated very well after the fires.

    Linking up today http://ballynoecottage.blogspot.com/2011/07/winter-wednesday-5.html

    ReplyDelete
  9. AnonymousJuly 20, 2011 at 9:49 AM

    I perfect day to blog about the plant family of heaths and heathers.

    ReplyDelete
  10. AnonymousJuly 20, 2011 at 9:50 AM

    I perfect day to blog about the plant family of heaths and heathers.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Staci@LifeAtCobbleHillFarmJuly 20, 2011 at 10:00 AM

    BEAUTIFUL header photo!!

    ReplyDelete
  12. AnonymousJuly 20, 2011 at 10:05 AM

    I love your misty forest with the contrasting black tree trunks - beautiful!
    The common heath really brightens up the VIctorian bush in winter.
    The empacris has indentations at the base of it's flowers that allows the honeyeaters long beaks to slide right to the end (impressa is Latin for indented) It is very clever how the flora and fauna co operate! HDW

    ReplyDelete
  13. alison@thisbloominglifeJuly 20, 2011 at 10:14 AM

    Gorgeous photos, I too followed the credit link for the bird. It's echidnas as wildlife for my winter wednesday, Thanks.

    http://thisbloominglife.com/archives/310

    ReplyDelete
  14. Gooseberry JamJuly 20, 2011 at 12:06 PM

    Lovely photos again Hazel.
    This sure is Mother Nature at it's best....Is the Pink Heath a wild flower?

    It's quite warm here today in Qld so I could quite easily do a Spring post, but instead I'll share our Winter joys of the past weekend.

    http://gooseberryjamman.blogspot.com/2011/07/winter-wednesday-baking-to-keep-warm.html

    ReplyDelete
  15. Katie MJuly 20, 2011 at 12:24 PM

    Love love love your header photo, Hazel, beautiful :)
    Epacris is one of my favourites, too.

    Here's my entry for the week, along the native theme as well.

    http://heartsdesigns.blogspot.com/2011/07/white-winter-wednesday-8.html

    ReplyDelete
  16. TracyJuly 20, 2011 at 2:01 PM

    Nature is very clever. Great pictures and I can now gladly comment on your posts again(I was having trouble for some unknown reason).
    If you would still like some luffa seeds, please email me your address and I will get them to you soon
    sunnycornerfarm at hotmail.com
    TRacy

    ReplyDelete
  17. AnonymousJuly 20, 2011 at 2:37 PM

    Lovely shots Hazel.

    Here's my winter wednesday post http://thenewgoodlife.wordpress.com/

    ReplyDelete
  18. Barb.July 20, 2011 at 6:37 PM

    This is a great idea. I have found a few more blogs to read. Lucky it's still raining and I can't get out and mow.
    What do I like about Winter?
    http://barbsbackyard.blogspot.com/2011/07/winter-wednesday.html

    Barb.

    ReplyDelete
  19. AliJuly 20, 2011 at 6:40 PM

    Is it over yet? Yes, very pretty flower, but does it grow when it's warm? When will it be warm again! I can't stand any more winter cheer!!!

    Bring on the sweat of summertime!

    ReplyDelete
  20. littlekarstarJuly 21, 2011 at 8:13 PM

    A beautiful flower I didn't even know the name of before! Thanks Hazel! I love your headers too, ever changing and always captivating.

    ReplyDelete

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