Not All Those Yellow Flowers Are ARFAJ
By Dr. Jose Kaitharan
Agricultural Specialist, Worley, Kuwait
Special to The Times Kuwait
Let’s be aware that all those yellow flowers flourished all over the urban areas of Kuwait are neither Arfaj nor the National flower of Kuwait.
In fact, Kuwait blessed with massive blooming this year, presence of yellow flowers everywhere, and locals are talking about Arfaj, people start taking photos of those yellow flowers and posting in social media as Arfaj. This article gives some insight into the most common seasonal flowers, and their life pattern so that people will not get confused with Arfaj.
Arfaj Rhanterium epapposum
Rhanterium epapposum is known locally as Arfaj. It is native to the Arabian Peninsula and Kuwait. It is a bushy dwarf shrub with a round regular shape growing to between 40 to 80 cm high and covers an area up to 150 cm diameter.
The branches are silvery white, and the leaves are small, lanceolate and with small spikes. The small yellow flowers appear in spring. It grows in silty, sandy and gravelly soil, and is highly salt-tolerant. Arfaj can be found rarely in and around Kuwait’s urban landscapes, whereas in the desert it is common but being grazed by camels. It is one of the characteristic plants in the remote region.
SPRING FLOWERS IMITATING ARFAJ
• ‘Nuwair’ Senecio glaucus
After the first rain, mostly in late October or beginning of November, there comes the yellow blossoms. Commonly called as ‘Nuwair’ or ‘Nuwar’, and scientifically Senecio glaucus is the yellow carpet that covers all over Kuwait. The rainfall pattern triggered the germination and establishment of large number of these annual species.
Nuwair, is among the species which started to bloom early, adorning the streets and roads. It has carpeted the sands in the open desert areas with yellow color in natural, eye-catching scenes, drawing visitors from across the country. The species flourishes well during the months of January-February and extend till the end of April depends on the arrival of summer. It blooms at dawn when the sun rises and closes at sunset.
• ‘Atheed’ Launaea mucronata
This year more specifically starting from mid of April, Launaea shows its peak presence all over Kuwait. People mistakenly consider it as Arfaj. The presence of those attractive yellow blooms catches drivers and visitors everywhere, especially in the road medians, traffic triangles, and pedestrian walkways.
The surprising fact is that it looks like somebody planted as part of the landscape greenery project due to its uniform pattern of flowering. It plays a significant role in ecosystem stability. Its roots help stabilize soil, while its flowers provide nectar for pollinators like bees and butterflies. The leaves serve as forage for herbivores, contributing to nutrient cycling in arid habitats. Its resilience makes it an important species for maintaining biodiversity in desert ecosystems.
• ‘Howaithan’ Picris babylonica
It’s not common in the urban areas but it appears mostly as yellow carpets in desert regions immediately after the first appearance of Senecio and other annuals. Picris flowers look similar in size and look but are differentiated from Launea with the presence of black colored center. Flowers of Launea have only yellow petals without black in the center.
There are few others who contribute colors to the wild garden as well. Listed below are the most common ones.
• ‘Shiliat’ Sysimbrium irio
• ‘Iqhowan’Anthemis deserti
• ‘Iqhowan Al Hadaeg’ Chrysanthemum coronarium
Conclusion
The soil seed bank of Kuwait is very rich in terms of species and genetic diversity. The buried seeds are very clever that a fraction only will germinate upon the first rain; others will wait for more favorable conditions. Many will take years to break the dormancy. However, rainfall plays a major role in bringing back plant life and decides the lush and species in every season.
In conclusion, those yellow blooms that are seen in the cityscapes are not Arfaj flowers. They are only seasonals or annual species, which means those plants live for a couple of months and die. However, Arfaj is a perennial shrub that lives more than 20 years and seen only in undisturbed or protected areas of Kuwait.
