Bicolour African Flag ® - Tuber

Chasmanthe tubers can be planted in pots or directly in the garden immediately upon receipt. Beware of late night frosts. When planting the tubers, make sure that the depth of the hole is twice as deep as the tuber – so a 5 cm tuber goes in a 10 cm hole, with a planting distance of 10-15 cm. Plant in good garden soil, loosen the soil with a fork and place the tubers with the roots down, then fill the hole with soil or compost. For larger areas, dig a wider hole and plant several tubers. You can also plant the bulbs of Chasmanthe 'Saturnus' in a large pot.

The attractive tubular flowers of the Chasmanthe are beautiful along the edge of your flower border. The narrow, upright, leaves are also very decorative. This unusual plant combines well with the Blanket flower (Gaillardia aristata 'Kobold'), Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa) and the Red Hot Poker (Kniphofia uvaria 'Grandiflora'). They all thrive in well-drained soil in a spot in full sun.

Chasmanthe flowers appear in a double row along almost horizontally growing stems.

Chasmanthe belongs to the family lisse (Iridaceae).

Chasmanthe are relatively drought tolerant, although they require sufficient water to prevent the soil around the tubers from drying out. Regular deadheading of your Chasmanthe encourages a second flowering but if you do decide to leave the stems you will see a very decorative berry appear. For more profuse flowering, we advise the regular addition of plant food when watering your Chasmanthe.

The Chasmanthe tubers are not winter hardy. Therefore it is best to dig them up, allow them to dry and store them in a cool, frost-free area. Also, store potted up tubers in a cool, frost-free area, make sure that the soil is not too wet over the winter. If they are to be left in the ground, cover with a layer of dead leaves or mulch, they may then survive the winter. Again, make sure the soil is not too wet. During the winter or spring, you can remove any brown leaves.