Bulb · Iridaceae
Montbretia
Crocosmia × crocosmiiflora
Tuck the corms in once and crocosmia rewards you with arching sprays of fiery summer color that hummingbirds adore.
Full sun
Every 3–7 days
USDA 5–9
2–4 ft · 0.6–1.2 m
Overview
If this is your first flowering bulb, you have picked a kind one. Crocosmia, also called montbretia, is a summer perennial in the iris family that grows from a corm instead of a true bulb, and it forgives the small mistakes beginners worry about. It hails from southern Africa and won gardeners over with its arching stems of tubular flowers in warm reds, oranges, and yellows that open from June into August. The upright, sword-shaped leaves look a little like a young iris, and the blooms line one side of each stem.
You really do not need to fuss over it. Settle it in full sun to light shade with soil that drains, and the clump will spread on its own, multiplying its corms in chains under the ground while you do nothing at all. That eagerness is the one thing to keep an eye on, because in mild areas crocosmia spreads with gusto and has slipped into the wild along parts of the US Pacific coast, so now and then a clump simply needs gentle reining in.
The flowers pull in hummingbirds like a magnet, and the whole plant is safe to grow around pets, children, and grazing animals, which takes a load off your mind. Where winters fall within zones 5 to 9, the corms rest in the ground through the cold and return a little stronger each year, so your early effort keeps paying you back.
Care
The short version: give it full sun to light shade and soil that drains freely yet never bakes dry, set the corms a few inches down in spring, and lift and divide a clump every few years so the flowers keep coming. You can do all of this.
Light
Crocosmia blooms its happiest in full sun, though it takes partial sun or light shade in good humor, so do not panic if your spot is not perfect. The more sun it drinks in, the sturdier the stems stand and the heavier the flowering, so give it an open place if you have one to spare.
Water
Aim to keep the soil evenly moist through the growing season, since the plant does not like to go dry. The gentle catch is that it will not sit in soggy ground, so the soil needs to drain or the corms can rot. Water every 3 to 7 days during dry stretches, and ease off where the ground naturally holds moisture.
Soil
Give it humus-rich, well-drained soil, and rest easy because clay, loam, and sand all work fine as long as water moves through. Crocosmia is relaxed about pH and grows contentedly anywhere from 6.0 to 8.0, so most ordinary garden beds will suit it without any special effort on your part.
Temperature
It copes with a wide swing, from about 28°F to 86°F (-2°C to 30°C), so summer heat will not trouble it. The corms can take cold damage past their hardiness range, which is the only reason colder zones lift them for winter, and that is an easy chore once you know to do it.
Humidity
Plain outdoor air is all this plant asks for, so there is no humidity target to chase and nothing extra to worry about. The real risk is dry, baking conditions, which can invite spider mites onto stressed foliage, so steady moisture is your friend here.
Feeding
Offer a balanced general-purpose fertilizer at planting time, then once more in spring as new growth gets going, and that gentle nudge is genuinely plenty. Crocosmia is no heavy feeder, and overly rich soil only pushes leafy growth at the cost of the flowers you are hoping for.
Pruning
When the blooms have faded, cut the flower stems back to where they meet the leaves, and that part is simple. Leave the foliage standing until it dies down by itself, because it is still quietly feeding the corm, then cut it to the ground for the season with a clear conscience.
Repotting
Crocosmia is not really a pot plant; instead it crowds itself in the bed over time, which is perfectly normal. Divide the corm clumps every 2 to 3 years to keep them vigorous, and let congested clumps, weaker flowering, and smaller blooms be the plant's polite way of telling you it is ready.
Size & spacing
A clump grows to 2 to 4 feet (61 to 122 cm) tall and spreads 12 to 24 inches (30 to 61 cm) wide, so it fills a spot generously. Set the corms about 6 inches apart when you plant, and they will knit into a full, happy stand within a season or two.
When to plant
Crocosmia keeps a gentle, easy rhythm you will soon learn by heart. Plant the corms in spring once the last frost has gone, and the flowers will follow through the warm middle of summer, roughly June to August. If your winters run cold, plan to lift and store the corms before the hard freezes arrive, and you will be glad you did.
Northern hemisphere
Southern hemisphere
Typical months for a temperate climate: start earlier in warm zones, later where spring frosts linger.
- Plant: Plant corms in spring after the last frost date, 3-5 inches deep and about 6 inches apart.
- Harvest: Summer bloom, roughly June to August.
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zones: 5–9
Temperature: down to -29°C
Troubleshooting
Take heart, because crocosmia rarely gives trouble and stays healthy with very little help from you. The handful of problems that can turn up tend to show on the leaves or down at the corm, and every one of them is recoverable. Match what you see below, step in early, and the plant will bounce right back.
Mushy corms and plants that fail to show
Corm rot can set in when the soil stays waterlogged or the cold dips below what the corms can handle, and the plants then fail to emerge. Lift a few and check for soft, discolored tissue to confirm it, which is reassuring to know how to do. Improve the drainage, and in zones colder than 5 either mulch heavily for winter or dig the corms and store them dry like gladiolus.
Fix:
- Improve drainage and avoid standing water
- In cold zones, lift and store corms dry over winter or apply winter mulch
Speckled, bronzing leaves with a fine webbing
If the leaves look stippled and bronzed with a fine webbing, spider mites are likely visiting, and they move in fast during hot, dry spells. Do not worry, because a strong jet of water knocks them loose, and keeping the soil moist and the plant out of dry wind keeps them away. For the stubborn cases, insecticidal soap or horticultural oil clears things up gently.
Fix:
- Spray foliage with a strong jet of water to dislodge mites
- Improve air moisture and avoid drought stress
- Apply insecticidal soap or horticultural oil as needed
Nibbled leaves and flowers that never arrive
When the foliage gets grazed down and the blooms simply never come, rabbits are usually behind it. Look for clean-cut leaves near the ground and a few droppings nearby to be sure, and try not to take it personally. A wire cage or fence around the clump is the kindest, surest fix where rabbits are a regular visitor.
Fix:
- Protect plants with fencing or wire cages
- Use repellents where appropriate
Toxicity
Here is a reassuring note for homes with pets and little ones: crocosmia is not toxic. No trustworthy source lists any part of it as poisonous, and it is grown as a hummingbird plant precisely because it is safe to live alongside. Wash your hands after handling the corms, the same gentle habit you would keep with any garden plant, and you are all set.
Safe for
People · Cats · Dogs · Horses · Rabbits · Livestock · Birds
Cats None
Nothing here to worry about. A cat that bats at the leaves or nibbles a piece will come to no harm at all.
Dogs None
Perfectly safe around dogs. A curious nibble of the leaves or flowers will not poison your pup, though a big mouthful of any plant can briefly upset a tender tummy.
Horses Safe
Horses can graze beside a clump with no trouble, since crocosmia carries no toxin known to harm them, which is one less worry for you.
Rabbits Safe
Rabbits are quite fond of the foliage and take no harm from it, so this is really a problem for your blooms rather than for the rabbit.
Livestock Safe
There is no poisoning risk for cattle, goats, or sheep that browse it, as the plant is not listed among forage hazards.
Birds Safe
Birds are happy around it, and hummingbirds especially flock to the tubular flowers for nectar, which is a delight to watch and part of why gardeners grow it.
People Safe
No toxicity is reported for people, so you can relax. Just wash your hands after handling the corms, the same simple habit you would keep with any garden plant.
Generally considered safe to handle; wash hands after gardening as a routine precaution.
Varieties
Only a few named cultivars make up most of what you will find for sale, sorted mainly by flower color and bloom time. These are the friendly ones worth getting to know first.
Lucifer
Lucifer is an Alan Bloom hybrid whose showy scarlet-red tubular flowers ride along arching stems, and it is one of the hardiest and best loved of the bunch, which makes it a comforting first choice.
Emily McKenzie
Emily McKenzie brings large orange flowers marked with mahogany-red throats, and it opens a little later in the summer than most, stretching your color season.
Solfatare
Solfatare pairs soft apricot-yellow flowers with unusual bronze-tinted foliage for a gentle, warm effect.
Star of the East
Star of the East earns its place with large, soft orange blooms that are easy to love.
How to propagate
The lovely thing is that crocosmia all but multiplies itself, so most gardeners never need to buy a second batch. Dividing a clump is the quick, dependable path and a fine place for a beginner to start, while seed is a slower gamble best saved for a patient afternoon.
DivisionEasy
Early spring before new growth begins. · One growing season; flowering typically the same or following summer.
Division is the easy, dependable way to grow more crocosmia, and it is a kind place for a beginner to begin. In early spring, before new growth starts, lift the congested corm clumps and split them apart, doing this every 2 to 3 years to keep the plants vigorous. The divisions settle in within a single season and often flower that same or the following summer, so your patience is rewarded quickly.
Bulbs & cormsEasy
Spring, after the last frost. · One growing season.
Each corm quietly builds a chain of offsets you can pull apart and grow on, which feels a bit like free plants. In spring once the frost has passed, separate the offset corms and replant them 3 to 5 inches deep and about 6 inches apart. They root and establish over a single growing season, so you will not wait long to see them take hold.
SeedModerate
Collect ripe seed from capsules; sow when available. · Two or more seasons to reach flowering size; some seed may not be viable.
Growing from seed is the slower, less certain route, and it suits a patient gardener best. Collect the ripe seed from the capsules and sow it when you have it, but expect two or more seasons before the plants reach flowering size. Seedlings from hybrids rarely come true to the parent, and some seed simply will not be viable, so treat any successes as a happy bonus.
Myths
Crocosmia corms are true bulbs like tulips and must be replanted every year.
Crocosmia actually grows from corms rather than true bulbs, and that small difference makes life easier for you. In zones 5 to 9 the corms can stay right in the ground and naturalize, returning year after year with no replanting needed. Only in colder zones do you need to lift and store them, the same gentle way you would handle gladiolus.