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Anomatheca
IRIDACEAE
Corms
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Anomatheca |
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This small group of
plants produces flowers in shades of green, red, blue and pure white,
appearing in late spring or early summer. Following flowering, brown
seed pods are produced, which split to reveal large scarlet seeds.
Anomatheca are closely
related to Freesias, and like Freesias are best grown in containers in
the greenhouse or conservatory in cold winter areas where the ground
freezes.
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| Anomatheca.
cruenta
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See Anomatheca.
laxa
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| Anomatheca.
laxa
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Synonym:
Lapeirousia laxa
Synonym: Anomatheca cruenta
Synonym: Lapeirousia cruenta
Synonym: Freesia laxa
Form: Perennial, upright,
summer-flowering, corms
Height: 4-12in (10-30cm)
Spread: 2-3in (5-8cm)
Foliage: Erect, narrow, sword-shaped, mid-green basal leaves,
forming a flat fan.
Flowers: In summer the plant produces stems carrying loose heads
of up to six tubular flowers up to 1in (2.5cm) across.
There are red, white and blue forms.
Varieties:
Karl King: Soft Pink with a carmine centre.
Red Eye: Pink with a red centre.
Anomatheca. laxa alba ~ Michael Vassar: White with a chocolate
centre
Supplemental Description: Summer
blooming, cormous herb. Stems slender, cylindrical; basal leaves mostly
6, erect, to 8 inches long; inflorescence 4-10 inches high, a dense
1-sided, spicate raceme, often branched; perianth bright red, tube about
1 inch long, segments oblong, half as long, the outer ones usually with
a dark red basal spot, anthers red. One of the most hardy species of the
genus.
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Anomatheca.
viridis
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Form:
Perennial, upright, summer-flowering, corms
Height: 16in (40cm)
Spread: 2-3in (5-8cm)
Foliage: Erect, narrow, sword-shaped, mid-green basal leaves,
forming a flat fan.
Flowers: In summer the plant produces stems carrying loose heads
of green flowers
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Cultivation: -
Plant corms in early spring in
freely draining sandy soil, in a position where they will benefit from
full sun. In mild winter
areas Anomatheca may be left in the garden all year round, especially if
the corms will be dry during their dormant period.
Where temperatures seldom fall
below freezing, Anomatheca. laxa will benefit from being planted in a
sunny, south-facing border, or under a south facing wall, from 2-6in
(5-15cm) deep with a mulch of leafmould or bracken litter.
After blooming and the seed has
matured, the foliage disappears to reappear with the winter rains. Hard
frosts will kill the early foliage, but more leaves will appear as the
weather warms, and they seem to be perfectly happy as long as the soil
does not freeze.
They are especially welcome since they scatter
their seeds around, finding bare spots where little else wants to
grow.
They need supplemental watering during dry
periods, and should be fed with a balanced fertiliser at monthly
intervals during the growing season. Where
the soil freezes it is a wise precaution to lift corms at the end of the
season and replant them during the spring.
Otherwise treat as pot grown Alpine house
plants, and stand out during the summer months.
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Propagation: -
The seeds are red and larger than
to be expected. Seed
should be sown in spring at 13-16oC and
can bloom the first year if planted early enough, but the first year
plants are smaller than in later years. Allow up to two years for young
plants to flower.
Established clumps can be divided
in spring
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Frost Hardy.
Pests & Diseases: -
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This page was last updated on 12/03/2005
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