When this was shouted at me across a flower field the other day, I was a bit startled as I turned to look, and then I smiled. Out in the sweeping field of red was one of our National Sales Reps, JW Brown, holding up a remarkable crocosmia bloom. The flower showed a fiery red contrast to the surrounding coastal environment, matched only by JW’s 49ers shirt. We grow the variety “Lucifer”, which is a rather appropriate name for this saturated red bloom.
Crocosmia leaves are sword shaped, and the flowers are branched spikes, they sort of look like a freaky freesia. We sell them both in bloom, and then as “pods” which have a great visual appeal for designers.
'Crocosmia' is derived from the Greek words 'krokos' meaning saffron and 'osme' meaning smell. It is said that when the flower heads are put into water that they smell of saffron. They are also used to make yellow dye. Crocosmia is originally from Africa and it is a member of the gladiolus and iris family. Crocosmia masoniorum was crossed with Antholyza paniculata (now C. paniculata) by Alan Bloom and produced a sturdy tall plant which was named 'Lucifer' in 1966.
To read the rest of the story, please go to: Sun Valley Group's Flower Talk
