🌿 Angel's CROCOSMIA 'LUCIFER' 🌿

Crocosmia x 'Lucifer'
Loving the heat of summer.
Angel's garden, Shaw Island, 
San Juan Archipelago, WA.

Type: Herbaceous perennial.

Native Region: Garden origin (species is from South Africa)

Growing Region: USDA Zone 6-9

Preferred Climate: temperate

Description:
A stately hybrid developed by Alan Bloom, Bressingham, Eng. He thought 'Lucifer' was the hardiest and most spectacular of the Crocosmias. One of the most popular perhaps because it is the hottest color of all.
Large clump-forming, with pleated green leaves and bright red flowers on wiry stems in midsummer. Height 3-4 feet. Grow at the edge of a shrub border or in an herbaceous border. Makes an excellent cut flower. It does not need staking. According to Christopher Lloyd “Lucifer” will grow true from seed.

Link for growing this cultivar from seed is here
But please don't store your freshly harvested seeds in a plastic bag. A paper bag is advised to ward off mould.

Cultivation:
It will grow well in shade but will bloom better in sun.  
For maximum freshness, please keep the seed refrigerated in its original package until it is time to plant. Sow seed in containers in a cold frame as soon as ripe. Grow in moist but well-drained soil in sun or partial shade. Lift and divide clumps in spring, periodically, to maintain vigor. 

Notes: 
Only country folks call this lovely plant Montbretia because the rest of us have been to re-education camps where we have learned to use the name Crocosmia for these fiery South African plants.
For city courtyard gardens, informal cottage gardens, borders, beds. All 7 species come from S. Africa where they grow in moist grasslands.
      I have seen this plant reproduce with only 2 or 3 seedlings in the warm gravel under the raised bed where the original plant grows, but mainly it spreads gently by corm production. Angel's plant is never invasive; if it was out of control as sometimes written, it is easy to extract the young corms to grow on in the cutting garden or share with a friend.
Give it room to display the fine foliage so it doesn't have to be trussed up like a Christmas goose.

Deer: Often this plant is listed as deer resistant but in 2019 the island deer dined on the blossoms of this plant. 


“Lucifer” was introduced by the famous Blooms of Bressingham. 
It won the breeder an RHS Award of Garden Merit (AGM.)

 
Crocosmia x crocosmiiflora 'Lucifer'
Sun-loving, tropical-like foliage, hot red
flowers let us know summer is here.
Seed packets of this easy, island-grown flower
are for sale at the Gatehouse,
Reefnet Bay Road, Shaw Island.
It will come true from seed.