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| Category: Bulb/Tuber/Rhizome etc. |
| Family: Iridaceae (Irises) |
| Origin: South Africa (Africa) |
| Flower Color: Mixed |
| Bloomtime: Spring |
| Height: 1 foot |
| Width: 1-2 feet |
| Exposure: Full Sun |
| Irrigation (H2O Info): Low Water Needs |
| Winter Hardiness: 15-20° F |
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Babiana stricta (Baboon Flower) - This plant is bulb-like with a corm that produces upright fans of pleated and slightly hairy, sword-shaped 6 inch tall leaves which emerge in mid-winter and are followed in the spring by short spikes rising just above the foliage, bearing blue to violet cup-shaped flowers. The bloom period is about 3 to 4 weeks and flowers and foliage die back by summer. Plant in full sun and irrigate in spring if necessary but do not water after the foliage dies back. Hardy as a dormant bulb to below 15° F but the foliage, which can be emergent during cold temperatures, is hardy only to short duration temperatures down to around 20° F. Looks best in the garden planted massed in clumps or along a border and also nice as a container plant. This species comes from the clay soils in the Renosterveld (Afrikaans for "rhinoceros-field") plant community within the Cape Floristic Region in southwestern Cape Province of South Africa and has been used in the breeding to make many garden hybrids. The name for the genus comes from the Afrikaans word 'baviaan' for "baboon" from the observation in the wild of baboons digging and eating the corms, which were also part of indigenous people’s diet. The specific epithet is the Latin word for "erect" or "upright" in reference to the upright inclination of the leaves. We have grown this great little plant at our nursery since 1992.
This information about Babiana stricta displayed is based on research conducted in our horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also will relate observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments that we receive from others and we welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share any cultural information that would aid others in growing it.
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