Melozhori Private Game Reserve spans 2,300 hectares consisting of glorious fynbos, renosterveld and succulent Karoo terrain. In amongst the greenery are splashes of colour that represent our abundant flower population. As some of the species are not often seen in day-to-day life, we’re here to acquaint you with a few of our favourite Western Cape flowers found at Melozhori in preparation for your visit. Introducing, Melozhori’s fantastic flora!

As the national flower of South Africa, the King Protea is arguably the most notable species found at Melozhori.

This impressive flower typically develops a few thick stems that develop 6-10 big, bowl-shaped flowers as well as smaller, tubular flowers. Each large flower can reach up to an impressive 12 inches in diameter! Despite their root system, the King Protea can actually get all the water it needs from mist and fog – fortunately, given their location on the reserve, our protea population receives this fairly regularly in the early mornings.

Moving from one of the largest Protea species to smallest, the Pincushion Protea comes in several varietals – in terms of size as well as colour. These flowers are fairly common in South Africa due to the warm climate. As a low-maintenance, evergreen shrub, they are also popular in gardens.

The Pincushion Protea is one of the most easily recognised flowers worldwide thanks to their distinctive shape featuring stiff, curved stems with a slightly darker bulb on the end. Keep an eye out between June and November for their seasonal bloom.

Introducing one of the more unusual flora species on the reserve, commonly known as Wolwekos. Don’t be deceived by its succulent-like appearance, this particular plant is actually a root holoparasitic species meaning it attaches to a host root system. These plants can create an underground structure of up to 2 metres before producing any flowers.

Their ‘flower’ consists of a bright pink/red fleshy, velvet-textured structure of around 15cm in height with white anthers that protrude from the end of each stem.

Don’t you love daisies? If the answer is yes, you’re in for a treat! More commonly known as the African daisy or Namaqualand daisy, these fabulous flowers typically appear as carpets of vivid orange.

The flower family, Asteraceae, is one of the largest flowering plant families in the world and are recognised by their classic ‘daisy-like’ look. We are fortunate enough to have a variety of colours on the reserve including yellow, red, and orange. These carpets are often intertwined with other species which pop up in pink, purple and blue, making for quite a contrast.

Although technically a member of the fynbos family, it may not be immediately evident due to the snowy white flowers that appear all over the bush. On first glance, White Heath looks like it has cotton wool balls all over the plant. Upon closer inspection, you can see each cluster is made up of tiny, bell-shaped flowers with a slightly fluffy texture.

The species is endemic to the Western Cape and is predominantly found in the hilly areas of Melozhori Private Nature Reserve.

It’s not too late to visit us at Melozhori Private Game Reserve and see all of these stunning Western Cape flower species for yourself. If you miss this flower season, don’t worry, there is always some form of flora to enjoy. To join us for a well-deserved getaway in the Western Cape, simply email info@melozhori.co.za and a member of our team will be in touch. Alternatively, visit our website for further information.