FEILEASTRAM DEARG / CROCOSMIA

Go déanach sa samhradh léiríonn na plandaí seo a n-áilleacht agus taobhanna na mbóithre lán de fhlannbhuí agus dearg a mbláthanna ar fud na hÉireann. Tugtar feileastram dearg orthu – crocosmia nó montbretia i mBéarla – agus tá na plandaí ionracha seo oiriúnaithe d’aeráid na hÉireann. Is é an chuid a úsáidimse na duilleoga gléghlasa ar mhórán silice, atá cosúil le ribí féir agus éasca a bhailiú. Bainim úsáid as luaith na bplandaí seo sa ghlónra Crocosmia. Athraíonn an glónra seo ó bhaisc go baisc, agus tá tionchar mór ag an tráth den bhliain a bhailítear an planda toisc go mbíonn comhshuíomh mianra na bplandaí ag athrú de réir mar a fhásann siad.

/

In late summer these put on their show, their orange through red flowers filling many of the roadsides across the island. Known as Crocosmia or Montbretia, these are invasive plants well suited to the irish climate. Their silica rich bright green blade like leaves are what I gather. Easy and fast to collect, the ash from these plants is used for my Crocosmia glaze. The glazes vary from batch to batch, largely affected by the time of year the plant is collected, the mineral composition changing with the stage of growth the plants are in.