Purple flower with links to WWI
A bright purple flower blooming in Max Muldrew’s Timaru garden has been piquing the interest of passers-by for its stunning display and its link to World War I.
The scabius purple flower has been growing in abundance outside Muldrew’s home and this year celebrates its 100th birthday, he said.
It was brought back to New Zealand by a soldier following World War I.
‘‘It flowers every year and is a bit like a daisy,’’ Muldrew said. ‘‘It’s outside the sliding doors at my home and I like going out there sometimes and sitting and admiring it.’’
Scabious, better known as scabiosa, is a member of the honeysuckle family, and originates from Europe.
The flower’s war link goes back 100 years, he said.
‘‘A plant was brought back from Europe in 1918 from the First World War by a soldier fighting in Europe. It was planted in a garden in Five Forks [about 20km south-west of Oamaru] from a Mrs Ellis’ garden,’’ Muldrew said.
Ellis gave Muldrew’s mother, Eunice, a root of the plant 68 years ago and since then the plant’s roots have continued to grow.
‘‘Mrs Ellis gave Mum a root from the plant on her marriage in 1949,’’ Muldrew said. ‘‘It grew at their home and then in the 1990s when they retired off the farm, Mum took a root to their new home in Oamaru.’’
When Muldrew moved to a new home in Timaru, his mother continued the tradition of passing on a part of the plant.
‘‘So the plant has grown in North Otago, where my mother lives, and in 2014 my mother gave me a plant root and it is now growing in my garden in Timaru. So this year the plant will be 100 years old,’’ he said.
Muldrew said the plant had flowered every year.