Growing Ixia


However there are many gardens around my area full of hybrid Ixia bulbs and they seem to survive the summers here in the garden beds. Yesterday, I saw a lovely stand of the green Ixia (light form) in a garden bed near here; a magnificent display and they will probably be left in the ground. The best example of hardiness I can give is that there are some hybrid Ixia that grow down a long footpath of a country road here. They are escapees from a derelict garden bed and they thrive on neglect. I guess you could say that they could be weedy then but they are not aggressively invasive and certainly wonderful to see growing, waving their beautiful heads in the wind.

Ixia corms are planted in autumn in a sunny position. Use a free-draining potting mix. I use half sand/potting mix but they are really not that fussy as long as it is well drained. Most flowers only open on sunny days but some like I. paniculata tend not to close up completely.

I water my pots about once a week during the season depending on weather conditions and because of our high rainfall I hardly ever need to water pots that are placed in a garden situation.

Seed is also sown in autumn, the earlier in the season the better, to let them have as long a growing time as possible after germination before drying them off. Having said this, I have sown seed as late as June here in Gippsland and the seed has germinated without detriment. Fresh seed will germinate in 3 to 4 weeks. If you don't know how old your seed is, or it is old and lost its viability, don't be too hasty in throwing them away; keep those pots for a couple of years as often I find seed will germinate in the second season. This is true of many species not only the Ixia.

Ixia will multiply by producing new corms and you can separate these in the dormant summer period. You can store them completely dry and replant the next autumn period.

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