Babiana stricta - Baboon Flower

Family: Iridaceae

Common Name(s): Baboon Flower

Native to: Cape Province, South Africa

Flowering: Spring

Watering:Provide sufficient water to keep the soil moist but not wet throughout the growing season

Planting Aspect: Full Sun, Part Shade

Preferred Climate:

 

Temperate

Description

Baboon flowers are so named because in their native South Africa, the wild baboons were seen digging up the bulbs and eating them. They were also part of the indigenous people’s diet. The flowering plants are rarely more than 25cm tall and look a lot like miniature gladioli with attractive flowers in shades of blue, violet, white or cream on short spikes.  The plant bears narrow, hairy, strongly ribbed leaves and branched spikes bearing cup shaped flowers above the foliage in spring. They look best planted in clumps in garden and border settings and also quite suitable as container plants.

Cultivation

They are easy to grow in a warm-temperate climate and in cool areas they can be grown in pots in a mildly warmed greenhouse. In autumn early/winter, plant the corms 15cm deep and apart in light, rich, well drained soil in a sunny position. Provide sufficient water to keep the soil moist but not wet throughout the growing season. An occasional yearly side dressing of a complete fertiliser is advantageous. Babiana can be left undisturbed for many years. No specific pest or disease problems.