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Anomatheca laxa:

© Gary Buckley

Debate on the attribution of the name still has Botanists talking. The name either comes from the Greek anomos, meaning singular or irregular, and theca, meaning case or capsule. The other school of thought seems to think it comes from the Latin, anomalous, meaning abnormal or irregular.

Whatever, these charming corms are perhaps the most hardiest of the six species of Anomatheca.

Back in 1972 Dr. Peter Goldblatt clarified the separation of Anomatheca from Lapeirousia. But even today, some twenty seven years later, you still may find Anomatheca Laxa listed on nursery lists under the name of Lapeirousia cruenta or Lapeirousia laxa.

Anomatheca laxa comes in several colour forms. The striking red and blue forms (varieties) have a stunning dark spot of the same hue on the base of the lower flower segments.

The one I like the best is the pure white form Anomatheca laxa cf white.

Even though these come from tropical South Africa, here in the blasting heat of this part of Australia, they prefer to be planted in part sun, which means the white form is seen to its best advantage hiding amongst semi-shade; articulating the darker corners of garden beds with their radiant white selves.

These are summer dormant bulbs. They come into active growth in winter. By the end of winter they begin flowering and continue flowering right through into early summer. Anomatheca laxa make good specimens for pot culture as well as excellent subjects for the raised garden bed and open garden beds.

These charming little corms have been round since first being introduced to the gardening world in 1830.

From their basal linear leaves of some fourteen inches, the narrow pointed form resemble a fan shape. Leaves are seen covering the lower part of the flower stem. The flowers, which you have read flower for months, are carried over the foliage. Each flowering stem producing up to ten flowers, with the topmost flower always the first to open. Flowers are around the size of an inch in diameter.

Seed and division are the best means of propagating this. Division should be made when the corms are dormant. Seeds can be planted as soon as they are ripe in a good well drained soil mix, and given ample water and light. Try and keep the seedlings in active growth for as long as is humanly possible.

The seed capsule will turn brown from the green pictured here.

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