Gomphocarpus fruticosus - Narrowleaf Cottonbush seeds

Gomphocarpus fruticosus is also known by the synonym Asclepias fruticosa. It is a perennial or shrub capable of reaching a height of 2m (7ft) by forming woody stems. In late spring, the plant blooms in trailing corymbs, which are decorative and formed by small white and mauve bicoloured flowers. Curious green fruits, swollen and adorned with small flexible thorns, follow, adding an ornamental touch to the season. It adapts to most well-drained soils, but is not very hardy outside of southern regions.

Gomphocarpus belongs to the Asclepiadaceae family, like Stephanotis or Hoya, commonly grown as indoor plants in our climate. There are several dozen species of Gomphocarpus, whose name comes from the Greek words "gomphos" meaning nail and "karpos" meaning fruit, due to the morphology of their fruits. Gomphocarpus fruticosus is native to southern Africa, Ethiopia, and South Africa, where it mainly grows in fallow lands, uncultivated areas and gravel pits along watercourses. Introduced as an ornamental plant worldwide, it has escaped from gardens and has become invasive in many countries, such as Australia and Mediterranean countries. 
This fast-growing plant forms a clump reaching between 1.50m (5ft) and 2m (7ft) high with a spread of 1m (3ft). This evergreen shrub produces numerous upright and branched stems, adorned with narrow foliage. The leaves are dark green on the upper side, lighter on the underside, lanceolate and very thin, measuring from 4 to 12cm (2 to 5in) long and only 1cm (0in) to 1.5cm (1in) wide. They are arranged in whorls of three or opposite pairs. The stems, which turn woody with age, contain a toxic sap.
Towards the end of May, depending on the climate, the plant produces very decorative small flowers, approximately 10 to 13mm (0 to 1in) in diameter, grouped in trailing corymbs of 5 to 10 units. The flowers have a corolla consisting of five waxy, mauve to light pink petals, sometimes cream white, and a calyx of five star-shaped white sepals. The overall structure is very sculptural and ornamental, and the flowering period extends over several months, often until September.
The flowers are pollinated by insects and are followed by curiously swollen fruits covered in small flexible, non-prickly thorns, resembling a porcupine fish stranded in the garden. These green fruits have real decorative interest. They turn brown when ripe and eventually split open to release the seeds, which, equipped with a small tuft of bristles, are dispersed by the wind. Through this mechanism, the plant is capable of colonising large areas in regions where winters are mild enough for it to survive, it is hardy to temperatures of approximately -5°C (23°F).

With foliage resembling that of certain willows, exotic-looking flowers and strange fruits, Gomphocarpus fruticosus is undoubtedly a curious plant. This poisonous beauty can be associated with Euphorbias, plants with equally remarkable patterns and colours. It can also be accompanied by Salvia leucantha, the Mexican Sage with a very architectural silhouette of spikes of blue and white bicoloured flowers standing like cobras ready to strike.