Hesperantha coccinea ‘Mrs Hegarty’

About this cultivar:

Hesperantha coccinea ‘Mrs Hegarty’ is an Irish cultivar that, if deadheadedregularlyin a mild climate, will perhaps flower all year round. We can hope. Someoneshouldtrygrowingindoors and let us know how they get on…

Else wait for late summer and autumn when Mrs Hegarty will deliver lots and lots of pale pink flowers.

• Position:Full sun, partial shade
• Soil:Almost any soil,grows well in Ballyrobert
• Flowers:August, September, October, November
• Other features:Fully hardy, Grows well in Ballyrobert
• Hardiness:H4 – Hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5C),Fully hardy, grows well in Ballyrobert
• Habit: Clump forming
• Foliage:Semi evergreen
• Height:30 – 60 cm (1 – 2 ft)
• Spread:30 – 45cm (1 – 1.5 ft)
• Time to full growth:2 to 5 years
• Plant type: Herbaceous Perennial
• Colour: Green, pink
• Goes well with:–

About this genus:

Hesperantha is a genus of flowering plants in the Iris family (Iridaceae) that used to be called Schizostylis. The genus name is derived from the Greek words hesperos, meaning “evening”, and anthos, meaning “flower”.

There are approximately 79 species, mostly native to southern Africa, but with four species reaching tropical Africa. All except one grow from corms.

The synonym Schizostylis is widely used in horticulture for the single rhizomatous species S. coccinea, widely cultivated as a garden flower, and with numerous cultivars.

Hardy plants with us, they like moisture but they’ll grow almost anywhere that isn’t a dark room or a swimming pool. They make excellent cut flowers.These semi-evergreen bulbs promise to ease the sadness that comes at summers end by offering a burst of fresh autumn colour – I’ve seen these in flower on Christmas day. My fatherloves the pink cutivarsin autumn – I hate pink in autumn and will only tolerate red or yellow flowers! Make up your own mind!