Dierama pulcherrimum

Dierama pulcherrimum are often overlooked in gardens these days, mainly because they seem to have gone out of fashion this decade.

Devoted gardeners and old gardeners alike remember the grace these Wandflowers, Fairybells, and Hairbells give young children at flowering time with their graceful arching sprays of attractive pink bell shaped flowers. Fishing flower as it is colloquially called in Tasmania, with it's evergreen foliage seems to adapt to various climates in this apple Isle. From warm temperate seaside climates of the North West Coast to the more rugged inland interior, where temperatures plummet over winter; Dierama have continued to endure.

It is perhaps at first glance strange to think of these doing well in Tasmania, but remember that Dierama are from summer rain fall areas of South Africa. During their growth period prior to seed set after flowering, they relish the frequent rainfall Tasmania affords them. Northern Hemisphere books when they mention Dierama pulcherrimum tend to warn against frost which will kill the corms. The ones in Tasmania get both frost and snow!

I do not know the range of cold these will take, but I do know of gardeners who sometimes complain their plants are reluctant to flower. Generally this can be traced back to the garden not receiving enough variation in climate,the winters are barely different in temperature to summer.

Also, they have their plants out in full sun. In hot climates, Dierama pulcherrimum do best when some degree of protection is offered at the height of the sun's rays; part shade, at least in the afternoon is the rule of thumb here.

An old clump I tried to dig at the foot of Mount Roland, proved fairly elusive on digging; reminding me that in their natural habitat these generally dig down into the soil; making stealing them back from Nature somewhat difficult.

The corms are encased by a sheath of tough fibres derived from the base of the spent leaves each season; so each year, there is a new corm. On digging one can see this chain effect on old clumps as successive generations of new corms, each formed on top of the other with their strong fleshy contractile roots finding deeper crevices to carry the unbroken chain of white grey dull corms ever deeper away from greedy hands. A mistake often made when reading about these is keeping the corms too damp during their growth cycle.

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