Pyramidal Watsonia

Iris family . Occurs: On the slopes of hills and mountains in the south-western regions of the Cape Peninsula.

Plants up to 150 cm tall. Basal leaves linear, pointed, up to 75 cm long and 2-2.5 cm wide. Flowering stem branched in the lower part. Inflorescence loose, of about 20 flowers. Flowers pink-lilac, nodding. Perianth 6-7 cm long, the lower cylindrical part of the tube narrow and slightly shorter than the funnel-shaped upper part; the limb somewhat longer than the tube, spreading; lobes blunt, up to 1.7 cm wide. Seeds winged. Blooms in early summer. Introduced to European gardens in 1612. There are also hybrid varieties, but they are difficult to obtain.

Location: any well-drained soil and a sunny position.

Planting: plant in April-May at a depth of 10 cm and 30 cm apart. Plant height 1-1.5 m.

Propagation: by seed and corms. Seeds ripen at the end of July. Sow them in autumn (September-October) in a greenhouse. In April seedlings are planted out. Watsonias flower in the third year. Cormlet offsets are separated at lifting and planted in spring.

Uses: all species of Watsonia can be used in group plantings in flowerbeds and borders, and can also be grown for cut flowers.