Acidanthera

Family Iridaceae. Name: comes from the Greek words 'acidos' - sharp and 'anthos' - flower, given for the shape of the pointed segments of the perianth.

Description: the genus includes about 40 species occurring in tropical Africa. Cormous perennials resembling gladioli in appearance. Stems erect, sparsely leaved. Leaves linear or narrowly sword-shaped, dark green. Flowers large, 7-9 cm in diameter, very graceful, with a delicate fragrance, white, pink, yellowish or light purple, with a long curved tube and pointed, almost equal segments, arranged in an inflorescence — a three- to six-flowered spike. Corm rounded, milk-white, about 5 cm in diameter, covered with a dense reticulate light-brown tunic. Fruit - an elongated capsule. In cultivation the most common is A. bicolor.

Location: sun-loving, they require sunny positions. Usually acidantheras are grown in greenhouses; in the south they can also be cultivated outdoors.

Soil: should be well-drained, light garden soil, fertile and slightly acidic.

Planting: corms are planted in spring in the ground at a depth of 8-12 cm and at a distance of 12-20 cm, depending on their size. For earlier flowering the plant is pre-grown in pots from March. In a pot 12-15 cm in diameter plant 3-6 corms at a depth of 3-4 cm. Keep in a greenhouse, warm coldframe or on a bright windowsill; at the end of May transplant to the garden. The plants become more robust, flower more abundantly and for longer.

Care: standard — watering, feeding, mulching.

Propagation: by seed, by corms and offsets. There can be very many offsets on the plant. They are raised on a special bed; with intensive care large offsets bloom already in the first autumn. Propagation by seed is not difficult. Sowing is done in winter. Stratification is not required. The seedlings develop quickly and by summer are suitable for planting outdoors. Since Acidanthera does not like damage to the roots, from pricking out to planting outside the seedlings are grown in pots. Flowering occurs in the 1st–2nd year.

Storage: after flowering the stem is cut, leaving the lower leaves. With the onset of frosts the plant is lifted, the above-ground part is removed, the corms are dried for a month at 20°C, cleaned of roots and excess scales, placed in paper bags made of loose paper and stored at 15-16°C. When stored in colder conditions the corms “go dormant”.

Uses: Acidanthera is suitable for mixed flower beds or separate group plantings; it can be planted in outdoor tubs or containers. In the latter case it will require increased watering and feeding. For floral design Acidanthera is more suitable than gladioli: it is more graceful and delicate and has a wonderful scent. It is widely used for cutting, but the aroma is too strong for a small room.