How to grow crocosmia

Crocosmias are a fabulous plant for a burst of colour in late summer, flowering from July to October. There are hundreds of red, orange and yellow varieties to choose from, with  sword shaped leaves that look like grass and rustle in the wind. South African in origin, they are showy but elegant at the same time, standing tall and proud wherever they are planted.

All photos by Toni Abram.

Crocosmia.

Crocosmia need to be grown in moist but well drained soil in full sun or partial shade and should be divided every few years to encourage better flowering. (In colder regions you may need to mulch the corms to protect them from frost.)

Crocosmia flower before it fully blooms.

Prior to opening fully, the flowers are flat and floppy but then it is almost as if someone breathes air into them, they sit up straight and the flowers appear along the stem.

Crocosmias are herbaceous plants, which die back over the winter before re-growing in the spring. They grow from corms and can be planted in the same way you would plant bulbs. The corms multiply forming new corms which grow on top of each other in a 'conjoined string', hence the reason for dividing and re-planting, however it is really easy to dig the plants up and pull the corms apart.

Crocosmia

Overall, a lovely easy to grow plant which looks amazing grown in large blocks and good for filling gaps in garden borders when other plants have stopped flowering.