Forum home› Plants
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Chasmanthe - have I bought a monster?

NollieNollie Posts: 7,529
in Plants
Picked up a pack of these in Lidl, well for 1.99 you would wouldn’t you! They look like giant mutant crocosmia corms. Seems they are Iris family, probably too tender for my winters (regular -7c freezes) and potentially invasive in my hot summers. Hmm, for a large pot, methinks!

Anyone came across them before or have any experience of growing them?


Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.

Posts

  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,618
    They would have done well last summer, they need heat. The year I tried them they didn't even flower and then died off in the winter.
  • PerkiPerki Posts: 2,527
    I tried them a few years ago , they never flowered for me and snuffed it after a couple of winters. I had them growing in pots probably to small when I think about it . Might try them again if I see any in Lidl I pick some up 
  • 2000GTV2000GTV Posts: 112
    I, too, succumbed to them whilst in my nearest Lidl but have yet to plant them. We have long, hot summers and mild winters so time will tell.   
    Martina Franca, Puglia, southern Italy
    Love living in Italy but a Loiner at heart 
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    Looks interesting @Nollie - https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/210120/chasmanthe-floribunda-var-floribunda/details

    My LIDL just had ordinary begonias!! 
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    They look like crocosmia to me. If you want the look, you might be better  planting them.
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • Winston_The_Gravity_ManWinston_The_Gravity_Man Posts: 263
    They're also called African Flag and African Cornflag
    When there's always biscuits in the tin, where's the fun in biscuits ?
  • Silver surferSilver surfer Posts: 4,719
    Only time that I have  seen them was on Madeira.
    Perthshire. SCOTLAND .
  • NollieNollie Posts: 7,529
    Thanks everyone, be interesting to see if they do anything here (my summers certainly should be be hot enough for them) and how they compare to crocosmia.

    I have Lucifer, which shrivelled and keeled over before getting a chance to flower in last year’s early heatwave plus my favourite Emily McKensie, which are usually very reliable but even they weren’t as good last year.
    Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
Sign In or Register to comment.