Dichelostemma ida-maia
firecracker flower
A cormous perennial to about 30cm with narrow, upright leaves which die back as it blooms. The flowers, borne in clusters at the ends of narrow stems, are tubular, mainly red with yellow and green tips
Buy this plant
Size
Ultimate height
0.1–0.5 metresTime to ultimate height
2–5 yearsUltimate spread
0–0.1 metreGrowing conditions
Moisture
Well–drainedpH
Alkaline, NeutralColour & scent
| Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
| Spring | Green | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | Green Red Yellow | |||
| Autumn | ||||
| Winter |
Position
- Full sun
Aspect
South–facing or East–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered Hardiness
H3Botanical details
- Family
- Asparagaceae
- Native to the UK
- No
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Habit
- Columnar upright
- Genus
Dichelostemma are cormous perennials with narrow, grassy foliage and umbels or racemes of tubular or narrowly bell-shaped flowers
- Name status
Correct
- Plant range
- W North America
How to grow
Cultivation
Requires a warm, dry dormant season to ripen the corm, so best grown in an alpine house or cold frame, in free-draining compost, in full sun
Propagation
Propagate by seed, or remove offsets in late summer
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- Patio and container plants
- Cut flowers
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.