Dierama pendulum 'Album' (White Fairy Wand) - An evergreen perennial that grows to 4 to 5 feet tall from large (1-2 inch wide) corms that have fibrous tunics. Old clumps can be several feet wide with upright 2- to 3-foot-long narrow green lanceolate leaves. In late winter through spring into summer are produced 4- to 5-foot-tall inflorescences that arch over at their tips under the weight of 1 to 2 inch long pendulous bell shaped white flowers.
Plant in full sun and irrigate regularly to occasionally spring and early summer. It is cold hardy to 15 to 20° F. This is a charming and attractive plant that can be dramatic as a single specimen or planted in a well-spaced grouping so that its distinctive fan-like clumps of foliage can be appreciated.
Dierama pendulum's native range is from the southern and eastern cape from Knysa in the Western Cape province to Suurberg (Zuurberg) and Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape province, where it is found in grassy, marshy or rock strewn areas. It closely resembles the more common Dierama pulcherrimum but Dierama pendulum has bell shaped flowers with a rounded base while Dierama pulcherrimum has flowers with less spreading petals. The name for the genus name comes from the Greek word 'dierama' that means "funnel" and alludes to shape of the flower. The specific epithet is descriptive of its pendulous flowers.
We first received corms and seed of this plant from John Bleck, past curator of the greenhouses at the University of California, Santa Barbara who had it growing in the garden next to the Biology Department greenhouses. Bleck had originally received the seed for this plant from Kirstenbosch Botanic Garden in South Africa. We first offered it for sale in 1994.
The information about Dierama pendulum 'Album' displayed on this web page is based on our research conducted in the nursery's horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also include 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 we receive from others and welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share cultural information that would aid others in growing this plant. |