Re: What I wish I hadn't planted

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Hi Nan,

No, chasmanthe blooms in late winter, crocosmia species and varieties bloom in early to late summer. Crocosmia x crocosmiiflora (the most common one) blooms in early summer, 'Solfatare' in about September here.

The flowers are different too. Chasmanthe has a long top petal, then four shorter ones. Croscosmia's petals (or tepals) are all the same length. Chasmanthe floribunda is less invasive than C. aethiopica.

Also, many cultivars of crocosmia are less vigorous than C. x crocosmiiflora. My 'Solfatare' has grown in one neat clump for the past 4 years. It may need dividing next year. My 'Emily McKenzie' is struggling with our cool, damp summers, but I think It is strong enough to bloom well this year, its third in my garden.

I wrote about these and many other somewhat "vigorous" old California garden plants in my book Wildly Successful Plants: Northern California. True, some of them may be less rambunctious here than in the southern part of the state. But I grow many of them and consider deadheading them and removing unwanted seedlings (or transplanting them) just part of gardening. The book allows one to decide which are OK for their garden and which not so much. It also provides information on them, including maintenance, management, removal, and tamer related species and cultivars.

In truth, I find many plants considered "choice" have turned out to be more troublesome than most of the ones I listed.

Pam Peirce