Crocosmia aurea Montbretia PFAF Plant Database

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Crocosmia aurea - (Pappe. ex Hook.)Planch.

Common Name

Montbretia

Family

Iridaceae

Synonyms

Tritonia aurea

Known Hazards

None known

Habitats

Shady forest areas in moist country, 2000 - 2500 metres from East Cape province and north to Mozambique, Malawi etc[79]. Especially common in conifer plantations[90].

Range

S. Africa.

Edibility Rating

Medicinal Rating

Care

Summary

Physical Characteristics

Crocosmia aurea is a CORM growing to 1 m (3ft 3in) by 0.5 m (1ft 8in) at a fast rate.
It is hardy to zone 7. It is in flower from Jul to August. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Insects.

Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils. Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.


http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tritonia_aurea_-_Paxton.jpg

Habitats
Woodland Garden Dappled Shade; Shady Edge;

Edible Uses
Edible Parts: Edible Uses: Colouring. A yellow dye is obtained from the flowers and used as a saffron substitute for colouring foods[61, 177, 183].

Medicinal Uses
Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally. None known

Other Uses
Dye. None known

Cultivation details

A very easily grown plant, it succeeds in almost all soils other than very heavy clays or bogs[233], though it prefers a light rich sandy soil[1, 79] in full sun or light dappled shade[200, 233]. Another report says that it prefers a fairly shady position and plenty of moisture in the growing season[79]. The corms are hardy to about -10°c[200] but in cold areas it is wise to lift them when the plants die down in the autumn, store them in a cool frost-free place over the winter and plant them out in the spring[1]. Make sure the corms do not dry out[1]. It is best to avoid lifting the corms if at all possible since the new corms seem to derive some nutrition from the old corms that have flowered[200]. Plants can divide quite freely when growing in a suitable location[233]. Although the fresh flowers have no perfume, when dried and immersed in warm water they release a scent like that of the saffron crocus[245]. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer or rabbits[233].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold greenhouse[1]. The seed usually germinates in 3 - 9 weeks at 20 - 25°c[164]. Stored seed can be sown in early spring in a greenhouse[164]. Sow the seed thinly so that the plants can be grown on undisturbed in their pot for the first year, but give the seedlings an occasional liquid feed to ensure they do not become nutrient deficient. Once the plants are dormant in the autumn, pot up the bulbs putting 2 - 3 bulbs in each pot. Grow them on for another year or two in the greenhouse before planting them out when they are dormant in the autumn. Division in spring as new growth commences[200]. Very easy, larger clumps can be replanted direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on in a cold frame until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the summer or following spring.

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Expert comment

Author
(Pappe. ex Hook.)Planch.

Botanical References
200

Links / References

[1]F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956

Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).

[61]Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man.

Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.

[79]Innes. C. The World of Iridaceae

Deals with many of the plants in the Iris family giving brief details of habitat and notes on cultivation. Well illustrated.

[90]Phillips. R. and Rix. M. Bulbs

Superbly illustrated, it gives brief details on cultivation and native habitat.

[164]Bird. R. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 4.

Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation. A good article on Yuccas, one on Sagebrush (Artemesia spp) and another on Chaerophyllum bulbosum.

[177]Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption.

An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of latin names with a brief list of edible parts.

[183]Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants.

Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.

[200]Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.

Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[233]Thomas. G. S. Perennial Garden Plants

A concise guide to a wide range of perennials. Lots of cultivation guides, very little on plant uses.

[245]Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World.

An excellent, comprehensive book on scented plants giving a few other plant uses and brief cultivation details. There are no illustrations.

Readers comment

Elizabeth H.
Pam Peirce	Wed Aug 21 17:07:23 2002

I have been researching this plant for a book. I know the general texts on economic botany say it is used as a dye and a saffron substitute, but I can find no evidence of its use as a saffron substitute. I know that the man who named it (Planchon) gave it its name because the dried flowers, soaked in water, smelled like saffron, but I can find no evidence that anyone ever used it for this purpose. Without more evidence, I have to assume that this use was suggested by the smell, but never became common.

I did find one business in England that sells plants for dyers to grow as dye sources who sells this plant as a dye plant and says it has been used to dye silk.

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