LOOK: Namaqualand is a blooming beauty

The Namaqualand National Park has received about 250mm of rain so far this year – nearly double its average rainfall – according to South African National Parks (SANParks). The rainfall average is between 120mm and 150mm.

In August and September each year, the hills and valleys of the Namaqualand are covered in wildflowers and daisies. The colourful flowers, many of which are endemic to the Northern and Western Cape, only bloom for a short period in the semi-arid landscape. The flowers have adapted to the harsh and dry conditions of the Northern Cape, which is prone to low rainfall.

On the gravel road that leads to the park is a sign in Afrikaans that reads: “Thank you for your prayers and support throughout the drought! From Namaqualand farmers.”

The national park spans about 146,000 hectares, and while there are a few hiking trails and a diverse bird population, it is the over 3,000 floral species that are the main attraction.

“The previous few years we had droughts, so the flowers weren’t as beautiful,” says Leonard Cloete of SANParks.

He said the flower season is the “most important time of the year” for the Northern Cape. “People from other provinces and other countries come to see the flowers. Their contribution to the economy is invaluable.”

“You can never exactly say when the flowers will peak. We reckon the middle to the end of August. It depends on the amount of rain we get,” he said.

Research by Jennifer Fitchett, Professor of Physical Geography at the University of the Witwatersrand, has found that the Namaqualand wildflowers are blooming earlier each decade.

Fitchett told GroundUp that the flowering was triggered by the amount of rainfall, the timing of the onset of the rainfall season, and temperature.

“The earlier the onset, the earlier the flowering is likely to be. The later the onset, the later the flowering is likely to be,” she said.

Climate change effects are also a concern in Namaqualand. Events such as the timing of the flowering of the wildflowers, “are one of the most sensitive indicators of climate change,” said Fitchett.

The early flowering broadly points to climate change, she said. In the long term this could lead to a shorter dormancy period which could weaken the flower.

The earlier flowering is also an indication that the flowers are adapting to changing spring times.

This article was first published by GroundUp.