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Libertia ixioides 'Taupo Blaze' (Tapo New Zealand Iris) - A clumping perennial with erect narrow sword-like leaves to 18 inches tall. The leaves are a yellow green in summer and darkens in fall and winter to an orange and later with burnt red highlights which holds into mid spring to contrast well with the clusters of white 3 petaled flowers that rise about half as high as the top of the foliage on branched stems and are followed by small yellow-orange seed pods.
An adaptable plant that will grow in light shade to full sun (where winter color is best) and with regular to moderate irrigation. This plant is listed as hardy to around 0° F and useful in USDA Zone 7 but here in Santa Barbara it is difficult to attest to this claim but it certainly should be as hardy as other Libertia that we grow and tolerate cold snaps down to 10 to 15° F. This plant is attractive in a small mass planting or used in containers. It is particularly attractive when the foliage is back lit.
Libertia ixioides is endemic to coastal ridges, cliffs, gullies, and upland forests in New Zealand. The name for the genus honors the Belgian botanist and mycologist Marie-Anne Libert (1782–1865) (also referred to as Anne-Marie Libert), one of the first women plant pathologists. The specific epithet means "resembling Ixia", another genus in the Iris family that is native to South Africa and has similar foliage to this species. 'Taupo Blaze' was a selected from a crop of Libertia ixioides 'Taupo Sunset' because of its bright colorful winter foliage by Phillip Smith of Taupo Native Plant Nursery in Taupo, New Zealand in 2002 and was introduced worldwide by Lyndale Nurseries of Auckland, New Zealand. San Marcos Growers first received this plant and Libertia 'Goldfinger' for trials in May 2006 and the plant received US Plant Patent 18,486 on February 12, 2008. We sold this interesting plant in 2009 and 2010.
This information about Libertia ixioides 'Taupo Blaze' PP18,486 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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