Moraea polystachya – Fort Night Lily –

Description

Moraea – Fort Night Lily – There are about 120 species of deciduous or semi deciduous, cormous iris like perennials in this genus. They occur in seasonally moist grassland throughout Southern Africa. The linear or lance shaped, flat or rolled, often channeled, light to mid green may be basal or held on the stems. From spring to summer, a succession of short lived, colorful , iris like flowers are held in clusters within pairs of large bracts. In frost free climate, grow in a mixed border or rock garden, where marginally hardy, grow at base of a warm, sunny wall, and provide a deep, dry, winter mulch. Plant 3″ deep in spring or autumn in well drained, humus rich, moderately fertile soil in full sun with some midday shade. Provide protection from excessive winter moisture. Prone to rust. M. polystachya – This cormous perennial from Namibia, Botswana and South Africa grows 32″ tall. It produces 3-5 erect but later spreading, linear, channeled to almost flat leaves, to 32″ long, on branching stems. In summer it bears violet to pale blue flowers to 3″ across, with conspicuous, white edged yellow mark at the center of each outer tepal. Zones 9-10