Description

A bulbous plant best suited to the dedicated gardener of delicate and unusual flowering subjects. Belamcanda is a not long lived plant, but it adds great colour and interest to mixed and herbaceous borders in late summer. If lifted and divided every second year, they will take up little space and can be inserted between more permanent plantings. The perennial rhizome produces flattened fans of thin textured leaves and slender flowering stems from 60 to 90cm tall. These stems terminate in a few rather small 6 narrow petalled yellow or orange flowers with darker red spotting. The flowers are followed by seed pods which split widely to reveal rows of shiny berry-like black seeds that are popular for dried flower arrangements. They will grow best outdoors in sub-tropical to warm temperate climates, but will also perform well in a warmed greenhouse in colder climates.

Cultivation

Belamcanda will tolerate light frosts in the garden and should be grown in full sun in moist, well drained soil in a sub-tropical to warm temperate climate. In cooler areas, the plants should be protected from heavy frosts during their winter dormancy or be grown in containers that can be given shelter over winter. Prepare the growing site by digging over the soil and adding a good handful of blood and bone or rich compost prior to planting out. Cover the rootstocks with only 3cm of topsoil and water in well. It is drought tender, so ensure that the soil is kept moist at all times there after. No particular pests or diseases but protect them from snails and slugs.