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Nature, Out and About · May 20, 2009

Out & About: Amalfi Coast Mystery Flowers

Last Sunday, just outside the church of Santa Maria del Carmine in Pontone, I noticed a plant with these strange, bright red flowers. They looked like bottle cleaners! I was told they weren’t native to the area, but yesterday I noticed a couple more while driving between Amalfi and Maiori. They are really beautiful!

Do you know what these are called in English and/ or Italian?
Please leave a comment! Grazie!

Posted In: Nature, Out and About

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Comments

  1. KC says

    May 20, 2009 at 09:44

    I always thought they were called bottle brush, but I’m not sure if that’s what they really are. As for the Italian, boh!

    They’re beautiful, though.

    Reply
  2. Scintilla @ Bell'Avventura says

    May 20, 2009 at 11:41

    They are Bottle brush in Australian slang. Their real name is Callistemon. After they flower they have funny pock-marked seed heads. They should do well on the coast(if it doesn’t go below zero), as they love coastal areas in Australia.

    Reply
  3. Chef Chuck says

    May 20, 2009 at 14:04

    They are beautiful, bottle brush is the name I recall. 🙂

    Reply
  4. Laura says

    May 20, 2009 at 17:29

    Ciao KC! You’re right! Thanks for the help.

    Ciao Scintilla! I knew you would know! 🙂 Callistemon… what a pretty name! And I thought they looked like bottle cleaners. I wonder if the Italians call them something like scovolino, which my dictionary says means bottle brush or bottle cleaner? Thanks for your help!

    Ciao Chuck! Do you see these plants in Arizona? My mom says she remembers seeing them in Nebraska.

    Reply
  5. Chef Chuck says

    May 20, 2009 at 20:32

    Yes we do Laura, I see more of the photo type you have at sea level in phx. I am elevated 5000 ft. up and tucked in the high plains. Here I have on my land a different looking bottle brush also known as hot poker!!
    Very colorful also 🙂

    Reply
  6. Anne in Oxfordshire says

    May 20, 2009 at 21:40

    Hi Laura…what a wonderful plant, so colourful…Never seen them before…

    You are right about the Italians calling them Scovolino…

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/coyolxahuqui/3541679221/….I just had to google it ha ha

    We have a plant called Red Hot Poke too…not sure if it is the same as Chef Chuck is talking about though!!

    Reply
  7. Laura says

    May 21, 2009 at 08:33

    Ciao Chuck! Glad you have this pretty flower where you live, too! Hot poker is a perfect name for them! 🙂

    Ciao Anne! Thanks for the link! With such a descriptive name in English I am not surprised they have the same in Italian. When I told my boyfriend he laughed and said that it made sense because that is exactly what they look like. I am loving the name red hot poke!! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  8. Anne in Oxfordshire says

    May 23, 2009 at 21:23

    Oh my word…that was a mis-spelt word ha ha ha should be Red Hot Poker 🙂 🙂

    Reply
  9. Delwyn says

    May 31, 2009 at 11:26

    Hello Laura

    I came to you Via scintilla and am another Australian and I had to stop at your Callistemon because they are always so beautiful.

    I have been photographing them around my place lately.
    Today I was walking in the bush on a bush tucker walk and finding more interesting plants.
    I have enjoyed starting to read your blog.

    Happy days

    Reply
  10. Laura says

    May 31, 2009 at 12:11

    Ciao Delwyn! So happy you stopped by and left a comment. I am always happy to meet new readers and find new blogs! I think the callistemon are so beautiful. Glad to hear you enjoy the blog! Warm and happy wishes to you, too! 🙂

    Reply

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