Flowers spend many months each year conserving energy. Once the worst of the winter rains are over in the south-western Cape and along the West Coast, spring wild flowers celebrate their survival with displays of colourful carpets.

Towards the end of September, most of the flowers have exhausted themselves partying and retire with a more conservative hue. But for reasons known only to nature, the coastal paths in the Cape of Good Hope are still celebrating with colourfully-clad flora.

The common usage of the word ‘daisy’ incorporates many flowers which have a daisy-like look. Botanically, these plants can be very different. The same applies to the much-loved mesembs or vygies. Although similar at a glance, a more thorough examination will disclose a variety of completely different plants.

However, having clarified this point of confusion, all spring flowers bloom with an elegance of colourful magic, whether it’s a vygie, a felicia, a gazania or simply a daisy. The showcase of diversity in Cape Point includes many different floral species in many different shapes and colours.

The best way to join the party of colour is on foot. Cape Point offers a variety of trails, all of which are family friendly. Being a peninsula park flirting with False Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, there are mainly coastal trails on or near the beach. The sandy soils lining the paths are the perfect mixture of minerals and nutrients for the spring flowers which are currently celebrating their colourful petals. 

Because of their dazzling displays of bright colour, vygies are often the life of spring parties. Bokbaai vygies (Dorotheanthus bellidiformis) are most prolific around the Darling area, but occur in many other parts of the Cape. Like all vygies, they have adapted to grown in the harsh, hot and sandy conditions of their preferred environment. The outer layers of their leaves carry tiny water sacks; succulent leaves are key to survival of the delicate-looking bokbaai vygie.

Bokbaai vygies (Dorotheanthus bellidiformis) Photograph by Fran Siebrits

The large individual blooms of sour figs (Carpobrotus spp.) have a somewhat scruffy appearance, but one that catches the eye nevertheless. They serve as a good source of nutrients; buck and baboons can often be seen amongst the flat growth-form having a snack. The succulent leaves of these coast-loving plants have an antiseptic property and can be used to soothe blue-bottle stings as well as sunburn.

Sour fig (Carpobrotus edulis) Photograph by Fran Siebrits

Other colourful spring plants still flowering in the park include Osteospermum spp., Dimorphotheca spp., Acmadenia spp., Gazania spp., Senecio spp., Oxalis spp., Polygala spp. and Podalyria spp.

Unfortunately, spring beauty doesn’t last forever. Snatch up this last opportunity to make your way to Cape Point and celebrate colour with the wild flowers. The Shipwreck Trail from Olifantsbos is a gentle meander on and near the beach, with colourful flowers guiding the path throughout its coastal circuit.

Acmadenia spp

Gazania spp.

Senecio spp.

Carpobrotus spp.

Podalyria spp.

Above images by Kate Collins