There are few plants that give a tropical feel to northern gardens. The hybrid Crocosmia ‘Lucifer’ (Crocosmia x Curtonus) is one of them.
In midsummer, when their brilliant red flowers come into bloom you can’t help but want to grab an umbrella and a piña colada and pretend that you’re on the beach.
Add to that the swarm of hummingbirds that visit the flowers daily and you will really feel like you have been transported to paradise!
Don’t be afraid to bring the party indoors as the flower stems make excellent cut flowers.
Native to the grasslands of South Africa, the plants enjoy full sun and since they add a rich scarlet color that is often hard to find, they look great as a focal plant amongst other perennials.
New plants can be purchased in containers or buy bulbs (corms) to plant in spring.
OK… back to dreaming of the beach! Cheers