Ramp up the colour in flower borders with show-stopping border fillers that will flower throughout the season.
Crocosmia, also known as Montbretia in its short-stemmed native form, has amazingly vivid sprays of orange, red or yellow blooms growing from corms. Many Crocosmias are hybrids and some are indigenous to South Africa.
🌸 Planting Crocosmia for Best Results
The ideal time to plant Crocosmia corms is in August and September, in well-prepared, weed-free soil with some organic matter like compost added.
Corms should be planted with the pointed end facing upwards around 3″-5″ (8cm-10cm) deep and approximately 4″-8″ (10cm-20cm) apart. Plant in clumps or let them drift through flower borders for a more random vibe.
Although Crocosmia prefer full sunlight for best flowering, they will also tolerate partial shade.
🌸Popular Cultivars and Native Species
Popular cultivars are:-
Crocosmia ‘Lucifer’, a hardy, tall variety with vibrant red flowers.
Crocosmia ‘Solfatare’, a well-known cultivar with pretty apricot coloured blooms, and shorter stems, ideal for front of borders.
Crocosmia ‘Emberglow’, Slightly shorter than ‘Lucifer’ with deep scarlet longer flowers.
Crocosmia ‘Emily McKenzie’, which has captivating orange blooms.
Crocosmia ‘Paul’s Best Yellow’, this variety has gorgeous large bright yellow flowers.
Native species include:
Crocosmia Pottsii: with masses of small tubular orange/red flowers that will spread.
Crocosmia Aurea: Also known as ‘Falling Stars’, that has vibrant orange star-shaped flowers with arching stems and sword-shaped leaves.
Crocosmia Fucata: Which originates from the Western Cape and has red petals with a yellow tube.
Wildlife is very attracted to Crocosmias, especially the native range. Bees, Butterflies and Humming birds all enjoy the nectar from the brightly-coloured tubular flowers and birds love dining on the seed pods. Crocosmias also support hoverflies and provide shelter for insects.
As Crocosmias are perennial they can be divided every 3-4 yrs to separate congested clumps and keep the plant looking fabulous for future displays.
Have a look at our Village Gardens Online Nursery :
Village Gardens is widely recognised as one of Cape Town’s best landscaping and garden design firms. Based in the Southern Suburbs, they pair creative vision with environmental sensitivity—specialising in water-wise, indigenous, edible and wildlife-friendly gardens.
