Xela's Garden

Baboon Flower [V]

Genus: Babiana.

Species: Babiana stricta.

Planted 05.12 in Pieris pot, Vistabile back garden
Bought 04.12 form Wilkinsons @ £1.98 per pck of 10 or 3 pks for £5

Family: Iridaceae
Common Name: Baboon Flower

Native to South Africa, these lovely plants grow from corms. The pretty, cup-shaped flowers, rather like freesias, come in lilac, blue, yellow, pink and red, and the slender, stiff leaves are ribbed or slightly pleated and quite hairy.
Species

B. plicata has fragrant spring flowers, from lilac through to red, and grows 20 cm (8 in) in height.

B. rubrocyanea has scarlet or bright blue flowers and grows to a height of 15 cm (6 in).

B. stricta is the most commonly grown species, with flowers in various shades of blue, lilac or white. Var. sulphurea grows to 20 cm (8 in) and has pale yellow to white flowers.

Cultivation:
Grow in the open in mild areas and in pots in a cool greenhouse in cold climates. Outdoors they need an open, sunny position with well-drained soil. Good for rock gardens and borders. In pots, grow in well-drained, soil-based potting compost in good light but shade from strong sun. Plant corms in autumn, about 8 cm (3 in) deep and 3-5 cm (1-2 in) apart. They flower in spring.
Climate

Zone 9.
[Source: http://www.intergardening.co.uk/]

Babiana bulbs are not hardy, so they are best grown in containers that can be moved to a heated greenhouse or conservatory during winter, with a minimum temperature of 5C (41F). Plant babiana in spring at a depth of approximately 20cm (8") using a loam-based compost such as John Innes No.2. Place containers in a warm, bright position. Alternatively, plant them in sheltered sunny borders in rich, well drained soil. They will need lifting in autumn for storing in a frost free position.
[Source: http://www.vanmeuwen.com/flowers/flower-bulbs/other-flower-bulbs/babiana-kew-hybrids/70001VM ]

Characteristics
Plant type:
Conservatory/Greenhouse or Bulb

Habit:
Bushy
Fragrance Flower
Colour
Flower - Blue, Purple and Yellow in Spring

Hardiness:
H2 (requires unheated greenhouse/indoors)

Size:
Ultimate height: 0.1-0.5 metres
Ultimate spread: 0-0.1 metre
Time to ultimate height: 1 year

Family: Iridaceae

Babiana are cormous perennials with ribbed, erect, narrowly lance-shaped leaves and spikes of often fragrant, funnel-shaped flowers

B. stricta is a tender, clump-forming perennial with erect, pleated, sword-shaped leaves and fragrant violet-blue, purple or yellow flowers, sometimes with a reddish eye, in spring

Awards: Award of Garden Merit

How to grow:
Sunlight: Full sun

Aspect: South-facing or West-facing, Sheltered

Cultivation:
Grow under glass from corms in autumn. Plant into John Innes No 2 compost and grow on in full light. Apply a weak, balanced liquid fertiliser every 3 weeks before flowering. Dry off as the leaves die down in summer. Corms can also be bought in spring for planting outside for a one off summer blooming, but after this, would need to be grown under glass and allowed to winter grow. Plant corms 15cm (6in) deep

Soil:
Well-drained
Neutral
Sand or Loam

Propagation:
Propagate by seed as soon as ripe in autumn in a temperature of 13°C-15°C (55°F-59°F). Remove offsets when the corms are dormant in autumn. Pot into equal parts loam-based compost and sharp sand

Suggested planting locations and garden types :
Wall-side Borders

How to care:
Pruning: None required
Pests: Glasshouse red spider mite may be a problem
Diseases: Usually trouble free

[Source: http://apps.rhs.org.uk/plantselector/plant?plantid=4561 ]

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