Species

Watsonia meriana var. bulbillifera

Common Name(s)

bulbil Watsonia

Authority

Watsonia meriana var. bulbillifera (J.W.Mathews & L.Bolus) D.A.Cooke

Family

Iridaceae

Flora Category

Vascular - Exotic

Structural Class

Monocotyledonous Herbs

Features

Gladiolus-like, clump-forming, summer-green perennial to 2 m tall. Stout corms, 5-7 cm diam, with thick fibrous coat, multiply at ground level. Stem stiffly erect, 2 cm diam. Leaves sword-shaped, 2-5 x 30-60 cm, arising from base, folded, tough, fibrous, light green. Flowers curved, brick-red to salmon pink and 6-8cm long - numerous in a terminal spike. Petals 6, fused. Produces numerous brown cormils in clusters of up to 16 at nodes on the upper stem.

Similar Taxa

Formerly known as Watsonia bulbillifera

Flower Colours

Red / Pink

Seed

Not produced. Corms and cormils are spread by machinery, and in dumped garden waste.

This page last updated on 31 Jul 2014