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The Species Hesperantha

© Bill Richardson

Hesperantha is another lovely South African species that grows very well here in Gippsland Australia. It is a member of the large Iridaceae family which comprises of about sixty-five genera and possibly more than eighteen thousand species.

It holds its own with its lovely scented flowers with its own idiosyncrasies.

Hesperantha comes from the Greek: hesperos, evening and anthos: flower; meaning "evening flower"

The large genus Hesperantha comprises about sixty species and is endemic to sub-Saharan Africa. The species are concentrated in Southern Africa, in the North-Western Cape, and their distribution extends from Nama qualand to the Eastern Cape, Natal and the Transvaal. It is deciduous and is a winter grower and its corm is covered with a woody tunic.

Foliage is erect or spreading which varies in shape. They produce a spike of lovely star- shaped flowers. Some of the species are strongly scented; a few don't open until late afternoon and stay open well into the evening, hence the name given "evening flower"

Flower colour ranges from white to yellow, pink, blue, purple or red. They produce many small seed which are easily germinated. As a matter of fact they tend to be very weedy here and will pop up where you least expect them, in other pots or in the garden beds. I find it best to remove the flowers to stop them from seeding or to remove the flower heads, once they have finished blooming. They grow in the garden beds here and will tolerate light frost, which does not seem to affect them. Aphids can be a nuisance with them but careful spraying will keep them under control.

I use a potting medium made up of fifty percent potting mix and fifty percent sand. To this I add a small amount of blood and bone usually when I sow my seed. During the growing period I use a seaweed foliar spray.

They need a dry, dormant period after they flower but I do not think this is crucial for this species.

Some of the species are:

Hesperantha bachmannii winter-growing flowers white, scented.

Hesperantha cucculata winter growing flowers white with red

Hesperantha falcate winter growing flowers small white

Hesperantha elsiae winter growing flowers bright pink

Hesperantha humulis winter growing flowers pink

Hesperantha karooica winter growing flowers yellow

Hesperantha pauciflora winter growing flowers pink to purple

Hesperantha radiata winter growing flowers white-cream, scented

Hesperantha spicata winter growing flowers small, white

Hesperantha vaginata winter growing flowers yellow with black markings.

This is a lovely species, well worth the effort if you get the opportunity.

Good Growing to you.

Bill Richardson

Ixia King

References:

Bulbous Plants of South Africa - Du Plessis and Duncan

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