Crocosmia crocosmiiflora Fire King

Crocosmia x crocosmiiflora 'Fire King' is an old variety, still as popular as ever, with graceful spikes of flowers in flamboyant tones of scarlet red to deep orange. The flowers appear in horizontal spikes offering a profusion of tubular blooms, similar in appearance to gladioli. The foliage is narrow and grass-like, forming a compact, beautifully spreading clump after a few years. Crocosmias, or montbretias, are hardy bulbs in milder climates and in non-waterlogged soil in winter. They thrive in open ground, in a sunny position with well-drained soil. They tolerate drought once established. They multiply over the years and become more beautiful each year.

Crocosmia x crocosmiiflora is an herbaceous perennial plant with corms, originating from South Africa, belonging to the Iridaceae family. It was obtained in France by Victor Lemoine around 1880. It shows many resemblances with gladioli. The ancestors of our garden montbretias need plenty of moisture during their entire period of growth and flowering, as they come from regions where summer rains are abundant. They also like compost-rich soils.

The variety 'Fire King' is a Dutch creation dating back to 1905. In spring, it forms a tuft of flexible basal leaves, 60cm (24in) in height and 30cm (12in) in width. From July to September, it produces a large arched flower stalk, bearing a horizontally branched spike, adorned with numerous deep orange flower buds, generously washed with scarlet red. They bloom into flowers about 5cm (2in) in diameter, composed of 6 tepals: 3 inner petals and 3 outer petals. Their slightly translucent texture allows the sun to enhance these warm colours. The bright green leaves are sword-shaped. Their surface is pleated and strongly veined, and they spread out in a dense fan or tuft, from the base of the plant. Crocosmia's storage organ is a corm, which is an underground pseudo-bulb with the appearance of a bulb but formed by a swollen stem surrounded by scales. The above-ground vegetation disappears in winter, while the corm goes into dormancy, preferably in dry soil.

Half-bulb, half-stump, montbretias are the symbols of summer. Easy to grow, vigorous, and undemanding, they should be planted in the sun, in fertile and moist soil. Their vibrant shades of yellow, orange, or red, form cheerful spots in gardens. They are splendid when combined with annuals or bushes, and lend themselves well to the ornamentation of natural gardens, mixed with perennials (Verbena bonariensis, V. hastata), or grasses (Stipa tenuifolia, Panicum virgatum 'Kulsenmoor'). They thrive in open ground, in a sunny position with well-drained soil. They will multiply over the years and become more beautiful each year. They are also excellent flowers for bouquets. Their warm and bright flowers can last up to 2 weeks in a vase.