Watsonia

Watsonia Bugle lily

a cormous perennial with sword-shaped leaves and branched spikes of curved, tubular orange-red flowers 5cm in length, with spreading lobes, from late summer

Watsonia (bugle lily) is a genus of plants in the family Iridaceae, subfamily Crocoideae. Watsonias are native to southern Africa (South Africa, Lesotho, Eswatini). The genus is named after Sir William Watson, an 18th-century British botanist.

Classification

• Common Names: Watsonia Bugle lily

• Family: Iridaceae

• Variety:

Propagation Notes

• Plant Type: Bulb

• Propagation: Seed

• Hardiness: Hardy H5-H1 (<-10)

• Flowering Season: Late summer

Fullsun .5-1 m

Under glass grow in loam-based compost with added sharp sand and humus. Keep just moist when dormant. Can be grown outdoors in light, well-drained soil that does not dry out in summer. Protect from frosts with a dry winter, mulch

Propagate by seed sown at 13-18°C in autumn or division in spring

2024-01-25: Seed from RHS seedbank