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| Category: Bulb/Tuber/Rhizome etc. |
| Family: Iridaceae (Irises) |
| Origin: South Africa (Africa) |
| Flower Color: Mixed |
| Bloomtime: Spring |
| Height: 1 foot |
| Width: 1-2 feet |
| Exposure: Full Sun |
| Irrigation (H2O Info): Low Water Needs |
| Winter Hardiness: 15-20° F |
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Babiana stricta (Baboon Flower) - This plant is bulb-like with a corm that produces upright fans of pleated and slightly hairy, sword-shaped 6 inch tall leaves which emerge in mid-winter and are followed in the spring by short spikes rising just above the foliage, bearing blue to violet cup-shaped flowers. The bloom period is about 3 to 4 weeks and flowers and foliage die back by summer. Plant in full sun and irrigate in spring if necessary but do not water after the foliage dies back. Hardy as a dormant bulb to below 15° F but the foliage, which can be emergent during cold temperatures, is hardy only to short duration temperatures down to around 20° F. Looks best in the garden planted massed in clumps or along a border and also nice as a container plant. This species comes from the clay soils in the Renosterveld (Afrikaans for "rhinoceros-field") plant community within the Cape Floristic Region in southwestern Cape Province of South Africa and has been used in the breeding to make many garden hybrids. The name for the genus comes from the Afrikaans word 'baviaan' for "baboon" from the observation in the wild of baboons digging and eating the corms, which were also part of indigenous people’s diet. The specific epithet is the Latin word for "erect" or "upright" in reference to the upright inclination of the leaves. We have grown this great little plant at our nursery since 1992.
The information provided on this page is based on the research we have conducted about this plant in our nursery library, from what we have found about it on reliable online sources, as well as from observations of our nursery crops of this plant as well as of plants growing in the nursery's garden and those in other gardens. We also will incorporate comments received from others and welcome getting feedback from anyone who may have additional information, particularly if this information includes cultural information that would aid others in growing Babiana stricta. |
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