Alien! Gomphocarpus Fruticosus

I accept, it is not alien, Gomphocarpus, it is native to South Africa and common in New Zealand, but look at them. Aren't they bizarre?

I love to use them in Ikebana, they are so interesting, especially if you remove all the leaves and left with this balloon like structures.

After a few days later though, these open up and the seeds could fly away in all directions so it is better to cut the opening folliciles at home.

According to Wikipedia, it is a food for monarch butterflies.

Gomphocarpus Fruticosus, Bamboo and Hydrangea

Gomphocarpus Fruticosus, Bamboo and Hydrangea

Gomphocarpus, a few days later

Morimono

It was so fun to make this morimono arrangement with fruits and vegetables and other plant materials. Although I couldn't take a good picture, I want to post this one for the record. For another morimono arrangement, you can check this post from november 2014.