Chocolate Lily (Dichopogon fimbriatus)
At a glance
- Lifecycle
- Perennial (hardy)
- Exposure
- Full sun
Cultivation
We have very little information on this species and do not know if it will be hardy in Britain. It tolerates temperatures down to at least -7°c in Australian gardens but this cannot be translated directly to this country due to our cooler summers and longer, wetter and colder winters. It is likely to need protection when grown outdoors in Britain. Requires a sandy loam and leafmold. The flowers have a delicious scent of chocolate.
Propagation
Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Division.
Edible uses
Root - raw or cooked.
Habitat
Grassland, woodland and forests, often on the sides of gullies near streams.
Native range
Australia - New South Wales, S. Australia, Tasmania, Victoria.