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| Crocosmia 'Lucifer' |
In Vancouver the crocosmia (once romantically called a
montbretia) has become a vile weed. It was introduced to our city during the
height of the gardening boom in the early 90s. I have two kinds Crocosmia ‘Lucifer” and ‘Jenny Bloom’.
No matter what you call them they are red or orange in colour. Rosemary pulls
them by the bushel but they keep coming back. If you read the second paragraph
below from Wikipedia you will find out why it is a weed.
I love the plant because before it is about to bloom or when it is in semi bloom the inflorescence reminds me of one of those crested dinosaurs.
Once a crocosmia is kept in its place it is a cheerful addition to the garden in the month of June/July.
Crocosmia (/krɵˈkɒzmiə/;
J. E. Planchon, 1851) (montbretia) is a small genus of flowering plants in the
iris family, Iridaceae. It is native to the grasslands of southern and eastern
Africa, ranging from South Africa to Sudan. One species is endemic to
Madagascar.
They can be evergreen
or deciduous perennials that grow from basal underground corms. The alternate
leaves are cauline and ensiform (sword shaped). The blades are parallel-veined.
The margin is entire. The corms are unusual in forming vertical chains with the
youngest at the top and oldest and largest buried most deeply in the soil.
The roots of the lowermost corm in a chain are contractile roots and drag the
corm deeper into the ground where conditions allow. The chains of corms are fragile
and easily separated, a quality that has enabled some species to become
invasive and difficult to control in the garden.