Crocosmia (Ballerina)
Halq’emeylem Name
Currently unknown
Latin Name
Crocosmia x crocosmiiflora (Lemoine) N.E. Br. ‘Ballerina’
Pronunciation
About Crocosmia
“Few plants can match the flamboyant show of Spanish Ballerina Montretia’s, Crocosmia, brilliant orange-red and yellow arching panicles. A very floriferous variety, its vividly colored blooms have orange-red petals blushed with pink, and yellow centers that have burgundy highlights. Its dramatic sword-like foliage completes the exotic show. It brings a striking architectural element to the garden in and out of flower.
“A hummingbird favorite. Flowers and foliage are excellent cut. Flowers appear in summer. Plants grow about 3′ tall. Great perennial for sunny spots.” (Sugar Creek Gardens)
Connections
Shakespeare
These are among the 215 orange flowers we planted in honour of the children who died in Indian Residential Schools, and light of the indications of unmarked graves found on the grounds of the Kamloops residential school in May 2021.
Indigenous Knowledge
We are currently unaware of traditional knowledge related to crocosmia.
Gallery
References
Images: Judy Dean | Derek Winterburn | Mark Kent
Integrated Taxonomic Information System. (n.d.). Crocosmia X crocosmiiflora (Lemoine) N.E. Br.. Retrieved from https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=43284#null
Sugar Creek Gardens. (n.d.). Crocosmia – Spanish Ballerina Montbretia. Retrieved from https://sugarcreekgardens.com/product/crocosmia-spanish-ballerina-montbretia/