Hesperantha baurii
At a glance
- Exposure
- Full sun
- Frost limit
- −6.7 °C
Cultivation
Requires a well-drained soil in a sunny position. This species is not very hardy in Britain, but where temperatures seldom fall below freezing the corms can be successfully grown at the foot of a south facing wall or in a south facing border. Plant the corms about 10 - 15cm deep and give them a good mulch in winter. The flowers open in the early evening and emit a sweet clove-like perfume.
Propagation
Seed - sow autumn in a greenhouse. Sow thinly and leave the seedlings undisturbed in the seed tray for their first year of growth. Give an occasional liquid feed to ensure they do not become nutrient deficient. Pot up two or three of the small corms per pot when the plants are dormant in the autumn. Grow them on in a greenhouse until the corms are large enough to flower and then plant them out in the spring. Plants usually flower in 3 - 4 years from seed. Division of offsets when harvesting the corms. Store them until it is time to replant. If the offsets are small they can be grown in a greenhouse for their first year, otherwise they can be grown outdoors.
Edible uses
Root. No more details are given.
Habitat
Moist grassland to 2450 metres.
Native range
S. Africa - E. Cape, Natal, Transvaal.