Description

Hesperantha coccinea Major description

Wonderful  red flowers to give colour late in the year – late summer and into the autumn.

A pollinator friendly plant including bees.

How easy is it to grow:
This has won the RHS Award of Garden Merit [1]. To win this impressive accolade the plants must have outstanding excellence for decorating a garden, be robust, not require highly specialist growing conditions or care and not be particularly susceptible to any pest or disease.

Good for the middle of a sunny south facing border which is surrounded by taller plantings to give added winter protection. It’s hardy to minus 5 to minus 10 C. Soil needs to be well drained soil.

Used to be called:  Schizostylis coccinea Gigantea and Schizostylis coccinea Grandiflora and Schizostylis coccinea Major

Common names: Crimson Flag Lily Major and Kaffir Lilies

Originally from South Africa.

The best position in the garden:

Requires sun.

 

What type of soil:

Well drained soil, but not too dry, also tolerates chalky soil or acidic soil.
Can be grown in clay provided it doesn’t get too water logged.

How much moisture:

Normal.

Hardiness and, or, lifespan:

Almost hardy here in East Anglia, for colder areas it would need a leafy mulch.

Care and maintenance:

When newly planted always keep it watered until the roots have grown down and it is able to find its own moisture.
Trim off flowering stems to extend the flowering period.

Size of plant:

Height 150 cm.
Spread 30 cm.

Planting density – to calculate how many plants are required in a planting scheme:

Allow 10 plants per square metre.

Buy perennials, herbs, wildflowers, alpines and ornamental grasses.

Reference:
[1] Royal Horticultural Society – opens in a separate window.