Common Freesia
Common freesia (Freesia corymbosa) is a perennial herb in the iris family. While native to South Africa, they also grow throughout the United States in warm climates such as California and Florida. The plants are noted for their showy, fragrant flowers. While they vary in size and color, there are several general characteristics among common freesia. Does this Spark an idea?
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Habitat
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Common freesia grows outdoors in very warm climates. If your garden is located in USDA zones 4 to 8, you can plant common freesia in containers during the spring. If your garden is located in zones 9 to 11, you can plant these flowers directly outdoors in the garden soil during the fall.
Blooming
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Freesia should bloom approximately 12 weeks after planting. The bloom colors include blue, cream, lavender, orange, pink, red, white and yellow. Freesia flowers are sweet-smelling, which is why they make excellent cut flowers.
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Corms
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Common freesia contain a corm, which is an underground bulb from which the flower and foliage are produced. When the flower dies back, you can dig up the corms and store them in a paper bag in a dry, dark and cool location. The next season you can plant the corms in the ground or a pot and they will regenerate.
Care
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Common freesia requires full sun throughout the day. The flowers thrive in a nutrient-rich, well-draining soil. If your garden or planting soil is lacking basic nutrients such as nitrogen or phosphorous, apply a well-balanced liquid fertilizer. To check your soil, perform a home soil test or submit a soil sample to your local university extension center, where an expert will analyze your soil and report what nutrients are lacking or in abundance in your soil.
Other Uses
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The oil from the freesia plant can be used for fragrances and aromatherapy oils. It is nontoxic.
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References
- Photo Credit freesia image by AGITA LEIMANE from Fotolia.com
