Crocosmia × crocosmiiflora is a classically beautiful garden hybrid of C aurea and C postii, first bred by Victor Lemoine in 1880. It is one of many Crocosmia plants known as “montbretia.” Crocosmia are cormous perennials with erect, sword-shaped leaves and branched lance like sprays of dramatic funnel-shaped flowers.
This plant was much favoured by the Arts and Craft movement, used extensively by Jekyll & Lutyens to create gardens with a more naturalistic feel. This is a South African genus, a cross aimed at producing a striking plant with maximum hardiness, range -20 °C and is drought resistant.
One of the cultivars – Crocosmia Lucifer, is one of those plants that makes you want to spontaneously applaud at the wonder of nature. It is about a foot taller than the Monbretia with deep red flowers coming late in the season as the last flaming hurrah of summer.
If planted in quantity this plant is an excellent weed suppressant, this was the first plant I had real success with, so it always has a place close to my heart.