MANFREDA UNDULATA, CHOCOLATE CHIPS

I was the lucky recipient, last fall, of a manfreda, Manfreda undulata 'chocolate chips' courtesy of a little competition held by Eleanor, at Garden of E.

The plant itself is pretty enough, with undulating leaves and large dark chocolate splotches. Perfect for a dark chocolate lover!
But when the plant begins to flower, then the show really begins. Over a period of two weeks the plant sends up a flower stalk 5 1/2' tall, and a cluster of flowers began to develop at the top.

The flowers open from the bottom up.

The sepals split and the stamens and pistil, which have been tightly folded on the inside start to unfold.

When the first flower was fully open I noticed a reservoir of nectar. I was tempted to taste the liquid to see if it was sweet. I thought maybe this was what humming birds might sip. Sweet it was but with a rather strange bitter taste as well. I'm not sure if hummingbirds do visit this flower. The anthers are so far from the pistil that I am puzzled as to how fertilization takes place.
Every morning new flowers open giving a spidery appearance to the plant.
It really is a thing of beauty. Thank you Eleanor.