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Ixia viridiflora

green-flowered corn lily

A cormous perennial with narrow, upright leaves and spikes of 12 or more pale bluish-green flowers with black centres produced in spring and early summer

Synonyms

Ixia viridiflora 'Green Jade'

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Ultimate height

0.1–0.5 metres

Time to ultimate height

2–5 years

Ultimate spread

0–0.1 metre

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun

Aspect

West–facing or South–facing

Exposure

Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Iridaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Columnar upright
Genus: Ixia are cormous perennials with narrowly-linear leaves and colourful, star-shaped flowers carried on wiry stems
Name status: Correct
Plant range: S Africa

How to grow

Cultivation

Under glass, plant corms 10-15cm deep in peat-free, loam-based potting compost with added leaf mould and sharp sand. Grow in full light, watering sparingly until flower spikes appear, then water freely and apply high potash liquid feed every two to three weeks until foliage fades. Outdoors grow in well-drained soil in full sun in frost-free areas, or lift corms in autumn and store in dry, frost-free conditions while dormant

Propagation

Propagate by seed sown when ripe in containers in a cold frame, or by separating offsets in late summer

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Cottage and informal garden
Patio and container plants
City and courtyard gardens
Mediterranean climate plants
Flower borders and beds
Wall side borders

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

Generally disease-free

Get involved

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