Lance-shaped leaves and small, gladiolus-like blooms staged along a long scape, in shimmering yellows, oranges and reds through summer: that is montbretia (Crocosmia crocosmiflora), an easy perennial grown for warm colour. Give it full sun and soil that drains freely, never waterlogged, and it asks for almost nothing else.
| Name | Crocosmia crocosmiflora |
|---|---|
| Family | Iridaceae |
| Type | bulbous flower or perennial |
| Height | 24 to 32 inches (60 to 80 cm) |
| Exposure | full sun, part sun |
| Soil | ordinary but well drained |
| Flowering | June to September |
As easy to grow as it is beautiful, it also looks a lot like gladiolus, but smaller, thanks to its lance-shaped leaves and flowers staged along a long scape.
Ideally, montbretia is to be planted in fall or in spring for it to bloom in the following summer.
Every 3 years, divide the montbretia bunches and separate the bulbs for the base to regenerate.
If sowing, best to sow in pots in September-October.
Montbretia can be started from corms, from divided clumps or from seed. The choice mainly decides how long you wait for the first flowers.
| Method | When to do it | First flowers | Key points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Planting corms | Fall or spring | The following summer | 4 inches (10 cm) deep, in a hot sunny spot, 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 cm) apart |
| Dividing clumps | Summer, every 3 years | Same rhythm as the parent clump | Lift the crown with a spade, slice it in two with a sharp knife, replant and water abundantly |
| Sowing seed | September-October, in pots | 2 to 3 years after sowing | Keep the pots outdoors under shelter all winter, transplant once the first leaves sprout |
For colour in the first summer, corms are the only quick route; seed is for the patient.
Montbretia, also called crocosmia, is a very easy perennial to care for and practically doesn’t require any care when it is properly settled in.
Once the leaves have wilted to brown or yellow, you can cut the whole clump down to the ground.
After cutting back wilted leaves, you can work on protecting the underground bulbs against winter colds.
Both in pots or in the ground, montbretia holds to freezing on the condition that the freezing be neither too cold, nor too long, around 23°F (-5°C).
In case of long, severe winters, you must absolutely protect your montbretia corms.
Garden montbretia is sold under a handful of long-established cultivar names, and they differ mostly in flower colour, height and how late they bloom. Use the table below to pick the ones that suit your border and your vase.
| Variety | Flower colour | Flowering | Best use |
|---|---|---|---|
| ‘Star of the East’ | Pale apricot-orange, large blooms | Late summer | Cut flowers, mid-border |
| ‘Gerbe d’Or’ (Golden Fleece) | Soft primrose yellow | Late summer | Part sun, cool colour schemes |
| ‘Emily McKenzie’ | Deep orange, mahogany throat | Late summer | Front of border, cut flowers |
| ‘Solfatare’ | Apricot-yellow, bronze foliage | Mid summer | Warm sheltered spot, pots |
| ‘George Davison’ | Golden yellow | Mid summer | Sunny border, clumps |
| ‘Jackanapes’ | Bicoloured red and yellow | Mid summer | Edging, containers |
Native to South Africa, montbretia displays beautiful colored bunches that tend to grow thicker and thicker as seasons repeat.
Leaves are a beautiful luscious green while its flowers grant us with warm, shimmering colors ranging from yellow to red and orange.
Particularly easy to care for, it even resists mild winter frosts, as long as they aren’t too cold, 23°F (-5°C). It’s also important they don’t last too long.
Certain varieties are even hardy down to 5°F (-15°C) if the soil isn’t waterlogged in winter.
To optimize its lifespan, offer it bulb plant organic fertilizer every year after the blooming. Regularly split and thin the bulbs, since their multiplying can quickly make the plant seem invasive.
