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Hesperantha baurii

Common name:		Family:	Iridaceae
Author:	Baker.	Botanical references:	200
Synonyms:
Known Hazards:	None known
Range:	S. Africa - E. Cape, Natal, Transvaal.
Habitat:	Moist grassland to 2450 metres[90].
Edibility Rating (1-5):	1	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	0

Other Possible Synonyms:	From various places across the web, may not be correct. See below.
	H. buhrii[G]
Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Liliales. Iris family
Other Range Info:	From the Ethnobotany Database
	Lesotho

Physical Characteristics

Corm growing to 0.2m. It is hardy to zone 9. It is in flower from July to August. The scented flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs). We rate it 1/5 for edibility and 0/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It requires dry or moist soil.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Cultivated Beds, By Walls, By South Wall, By West Wall.

Edible Uses

Root.

Root[177]. No more details are given.

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

None known

Other Uses

None known

Cultivation details

Requires a well-drained soil in a sunny position[200]. This species should grow well in a moist peaty soil[90].
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[1, 200]. Plants from the higher altitudes of its range should be frost hardy[90].
Plant the corms about 10 - 15cm deep and give them a good mulch in winter[200]. Lift and dry off the corms when the growth dies down and store them in a cool place until it is time to replant them[200]. Corms can also be planted in spring, they will flower in the summer and can then be dug up in the autumn and stored in a cool frost-free place over winter[200].
The flowers open in the early evening and emit a sweet clove-like perfume[245].

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.

Scent

Flowers: Fresh: The flowers open in the early evening and emit a sweet clove-like perfume.

Suppliers

For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.

Web References

[E] Ethnobotany Data (common names, uses, countries) from the Ethnobotany Database.
[HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database

References for Hesperantha buhrii (a possible synonym).

[G] Data (Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.

References for the family Iridaceae.

[CHINA] Data Very detailed botanical/identification info. from the Flora of China.

See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.

Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.

References

[1] F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).

[90] Phillips. R. and Rix. M. Bulbs Pan Books 1989 ISBN 0-330-30253-1
Superbly illustrated, it gives brief details on cultivation and native habitat.

[177] Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984 ISBN 3874292169
An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of latin names with a brief list of edible parts.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[245] Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8
An excellent, comprehensive book on scented plants giving a few other plant uses and brief cultivation details. There are no illustrations.

Readers Comments

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Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future - Species Database. Copyright (c) 1997-2003.
WEB search engine by Rich Morris - Home Page- Contact Info
Blagdon Cross, Ashwater, Beaworthy, Devon, EX21 5DF, UK.
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