Crocosmia × crocosmiiflora 'Babylon'

RHS Plant Profile
montbretia 'Babylon'

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montbretia 'Babylon' RHS
montbretia 'Babylon' RHS

Synonyms

Crocosmia 'Babylon'

Herbaceous Perennial
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A cormous perennial, up to 1m high, with grass-like green leaves and arching sprays of large orange-red flowers, with a dark ring around golden yellow throats, in late summer

Position

Full sun, Partial shade

Soil Types

Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.5-1 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
2–5 years
Max Spread
0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height
0.5-1 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Clay Loam Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained
pH
Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun Partial shade
Aspect
South–facing or North–facing or West–facing or East–facing
Exposure
Exposed or Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

  • H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
  • H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
  • H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
  • H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
  • H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
  • H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
  • H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
  • H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
  • H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)
H4

Colour & Scent

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Iridaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Clump forming
Genus
Crocosmia are deciduous cormous perennials with erect, sword-shaped leaves and branched spikes of showy, funnel-shaped flowers in summer
Name Status
Accepted

How to Grow

Cultivation

Plant corms in spring, 10cm deep in well-drained soil, in full sun or light shade. Space corms 7.5–10cm apart in groups to form clumps. See the RHS guide to growing crocosmia for more information

Propagation

Propagate by separating corms when dormant

Pruning

No pruning required, except the removal of dead leaves and flower stems before new growth starts in spring

Pests

May be susceptible to glasshouse red spider mite

Diseases

May be susceptible to gladiolus dry rot, iris ink disease, and leaf spot