crocosmia mystery

About 7 or 8 years ago a neighbor of mine pulled up a handful of crocosmia
bulbs from her shady yard and offered them to me.  She said they no longer
bloomed in her garden because they didn't get enough sun.  I planted them in
full sun where, as everyone has noted, they grow like weeds.  I have no idea
if they are named, but their site is as hot as the hinges of hell, and they
only get watered once a week or twice if the temperatures are over 95.  They
bloom like mad and don't get any brown leaves until it starts to get cold in
the fall.  They are such aggressive spreaders, I have often considered
getting rid of them, but when they bloom each summer they just knock my
socks off, especially as the sun goes down when they positively glow a deep
tangerine.  So, each year I yank them out at the edges and keep them
thinned, and they do just fine.  As a matter of fact, because I put in quite
a few new plants near them, I have watered their bed more often this year
and had fewer blooms!  I think with your experiences, they really must vary
widely in adaptability between varieties.  I wish I could send you a
pocketful of mine!  Actually, I suppose I could in the fall!

Karrie Reid
Folsom Foothill Gardener
Zone 9

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About 7 or 8 years ago a neighbor of mine pulled up a handful of crocosmia
bulbs from her shady yard and offered them to me.  She said they no longer
bloomed in her garden because they didn't get enough sun.  I planted them in
full sun where, as everyone has noted, they grow like weeds.  I have no idea
if they are named, but their site is as hot as the hinges of hell, and they
only get watered once a week or twice if the temperatures are over 95.  They
bloom like mad and don't get any brown leaves until it starts to get cold in
the fall.  They are such aggressive spreaders, I have often considered
getting rid of them, but when they bloom each summer they just knock my
socks off, especially as the sun goes down when they positively glow a deep
tangerine.  So, each year I yank them out at the edges and keep them
thinned, and they do just fine.  As a matter of fact, because I put in quite
a few new plants near them, I have watered their bed more often this year
and had fewer blooms!  I think with your experiences, they really must vary
widely in adaptability between varieties.  I wish I could send you a
pocketful of mine!  Actually, I suppose I could in the fall!

Karrie Reid
Folsom Foothill Gardener
Zone 9
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