Watsonia marginata (L. f.) Ker-Gawl.
broad-leaf watsonia · breëblaar-kanolpypie, rooikanolpypie (Afr.)
Watsonia with blue-green, yellow-edged leaves (marginata means "edged") and tall spikes of pink or white cup-like flowers in spring.
What’s in the name: Watsonia: honours William Watson, an 18th-century English apothecary and naturalist; marginata: "edged".
“he shall grow as the lily”
— Hosea 14:5 (KJV), The King James Version of the Bible (Project Gutenberg)
Available from AVNPlants: see the availability list.
Family
Iridaceae
Conservation status
Least Concern, SANBI Red List of South African Plants
Natural distribution & habitat
Winter-rainfall region from the Bokkeveld Mountains near Nieuwoudtville to the Cape Peninsula and Caledon, where summers are fully dry; stony clay, sometimes seasonal seeps in sand, from near sea level to mid-mountain.
Size & form
Deciduous, winter-growing corm with 3–4 broad leaves 40–60 cm tall; flower spike well above them.
Flowering
About four weeks between September and November.
Uses in landscaping
- Mass planting, rockeries and mixed borders (attractive foliage)
- Containers – large pots, repotted yearly
Care notes
Full sun and well-drained, compost-rich soil. Tender below about −1 °C. Keep dry in summer dormancy; in summer-rainfall areas use sandy soil or lift corms. Plant in March–April at about twice the corm's depth and water sparingly. Caution: invasive in Australia, so do not plant out where it could spread beyond its range.
Wildlife value
Pollinated by honeybees.
Find out more
Facts checked against: SANBI PlantZAfrica species page 'Watsonia marginata'; SANBI Red List of South African Plants, Watsonia marginata (L.f.) Ker Gawl. (assessment 2005/06/30).