Watsonia iris-leaved

Family Iridaceae . Occurs: on grassy slopes, among shrubs in the mountain subtropical regions of the Cape Peninsula.

Stem up to 120 cm high, usually branched, bearing several leaves in a basal rosette. Leaves long, strap-shaped, 2-2.5 cm wide. Inflorescence dense, two-ranked, of 12-20 flowers. Flowers pale pink, up to 4 cm long, nodding, with a short (much shorter than the tube) limb directed forward; the tube nearly cylindrical, protruding markedly from the somewhat dry membranous bracts. The stamens and pistil do not protrude beyond the perianth. Corm 2.5-3 cm wide. 2n=18. Flowers in spring.

Rarely used in cultivation, so only a few cultivated forms are known. Grown in cold frames or outdoors like a gladiolus. Flowering begins with the lower flowers and continues 2-3 weeks, until all the flowers of the inflorescence have finished, but no more than 2-3 flowers are open at the same time. In a greenhouse it can vegetate year-round. Plants with white flowers were selected in cultivation in England by O'Brien (J. O'Brien) and described as the variety - var. o'brienii N. E. Вг. Tested in Sukhumi, where it overwinters without shelter.

based on materials from the website www.flower.onego.ru