The Gardeners Anonymous Blog: Crocosimia Lucifer Invasion

August 24, 2009

Crocosimia Lucifer Invasion

I’m pretty sure that the name Crocosimia Lucifer refers to the vibrant red/orange color of the flowers.

But sometimes I think that perhaps it’s because besides these Santa Barbara daisies (that I have to strip daily from my garden) have become extremely invasive.

Crocosimia Lucifer is also known as The Falling Stars.

The flowers, which look like small gladiolas, bloom on 18 to 24 inch stems in mid-summer. Everything that I have read about crocosimia says that they require a lot of sun. Well, guess what? They thrive in my yard everywhere, in sun, in partial shade, and in full shade.

They are also somewhat drought tolerant.

I noticed them a few years ago when there were only a few. I thought they were pretty.

They looked a bit like delicate little gladiolas. So I started digging them up, dividing them and spreading them around my yard. What was I thinking? They started spreading like the red death through Venice (or was that the black death?) sending a red cloud across my flowerbeds that is choking out my other plants.

Crocosmia spreads by bulbs and by seeds. I realized this after I dug a bunch of them out of a walkway where they were becoming a nuisance. I pulled up some flagstones and dug out about fifty little bulbs. These bulbs were not there the year before. I thought that I removed every single bulb.

Now if I had accidentally left one or two or even a handful I’d have been surprised—but I was floored when about seventy crocosimia bloomed in that spot.

There has been research done about Crocosmia Lucifer that says it’s invasive, DUH! I could have supplied that piece information.

Anybody who wants some free bulbs just let me know. You pay shipping, and I’ll send you a lifetime supply.