Size
Ultimate height
0.1–0.5 metresTime to ultimate height
2–5 yearsUltimate spread
0–0.1 metreGrowing conditions
Moisture
Well–drainedpH
Acid, Alkaline, NeutralColour & scent
| Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
| Spring | Black Green | Green | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | Black Green | Green | ||
| Autumn | ||||
| Winter |
Position
- Full sun
Aspect
West–facing or South–facing
Exposure
Sheltered Hardiness
H2Botanical details
- Family
- Iridaceae
- Native to the UK
- No
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Habit
- Columnar upright
- Genus
Ixia are cormous perennials with narrowly-linear leaves and colourful, star-shaped flowers carried on wiry stems
- Name status
Correct
- Plant range
- S Africa
How to grow
Cultivation
Under glass, plant corms 10-15cm deep in loam-based potting compost with added leaf mould and sharp sand. Grow in full light, watering sparingly until flower spikes appear, then water freely and apply high potash liquid feed every two to three weeks until foliage fades. Outdoors grow in well-drained soil in full sun in frost-free areas, or lift corms in autumn and store in dry, frost-free conditions while dormant
Propagation
Propagate by seed sown when ripe in containers in a cold frame, or by separating offsets in late summer
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- Cottage and informal garden
- Patio and container plants
- City and courtyard gardens
- Mediterranean climate plants
- Flower borders and beds
- Wall side borders
Pruning
No pruning required
Pests
Generally pest-free
Diseases
Generally disease-free
Get involved
The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.