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Herbaceous Perennial

Libertia pulchella misapplied

An evergreen perennial with fans of broadly sword-shaped, rough green leaves to 18cm long, that are pale greenish yellow at the base. In late spring and early summer, produces stout, branching clusters of small, white flowers with evenly sized petals, followed by round red seeds in autumn

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Ultimate height

0.1–0.5 metres

Time to ultimate height

2–5 years

Ultimate spread

0.1–0.5 metres

Chalk

Clay

Loam

Moisture

Moist but well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun
Partial shade

Aspect

South–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)

Botanical details

Family: Iridaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Evergreen
Habit: Clump forming, Columnar upright
Genus: Libertia are clump-forming perennials with grass-like, evergreen leaves and panicles of saucer-shaped white or blue flowers, followed by orange seed capsules
Name status: Unresolved

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in moderately fertile, moist but well-drained soil in full sun or part shade. May benefit from a dry mulch for protection in winter

Propagation

Propagate by seed or by division in spring

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Cottage and informal garden
Gravel garden
Patio and container plants
Prairie planting
Flower borders and beds

Pruning

Remove flower stalks near the base after flowering. Trim back damaged foliage in spring

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

Generally disease-free

Get involved

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