Babiana
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Approximately 60 species of brilliant colored flowering bulb-like corms. These members of the iris family bloom in the spring, and mose are native to southern Africa's coastal and dry-open areas. The leaves are lance-shaped, and for some species ribbed or hairy. The short flower spikes hold the funnel shaped flowers, and some are scented. Flower colors range from rich red, pink, purple and blue to yellow, white or cream. The corms of some species are eaten by baboons.
| Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture |
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Babiana (said to come from Dutch for baboon, because those animals eat the bulbs). Iridaceae. About fifty cormous plants of South Africa (and one Socotran), sometimes grown for spring bloom under glass, or in the open in the South. Usually less than 1 ft. tall: fls. showy, red or purplish, in a short spike-like cluster or raceme, tubular at the base, the segms. with claws or narrow bases, and the limb erect-spreading, in marked colors and shades, often fragrant; ovary 3-loculed: lvs. narrow, hairy, plaited, standing edgewise to the st. Low plants, of easy culture if treated like freesias or hyacinths. Three or four corms placed in a 4-inch pot, in autumn, give attractive bloom in March or later. Grown only indoors or under frames in the North. Outdoors in mild climates they may remain continuously in the ground, although it is better to take up and replant every year or two. Propagation is by cormels and seeds. They are showy and useful plants. Monograph by Baker in Handbook of the Irideae, 1892. B. flabellifolia, Harv. Fls. 2-5, in erect spike, long-tubed, lower lobes blotched: lvs. ¾ in. broad, toothed at apex.—B. ringens, Ker. 6-10 in.: fls. gaping and ringent, scarlet: lvs. narrow and pointed.—B. zambucina, Ker. 6-10 in.: fls. purplish, with spreading divisions, elder-scented. B.M. 1019.—B. socotrana, Hook. f. 3-4 in.: fl. single, the tube very slender, pale blue, 2-lipped: Ivs. narrow-lanceolate, Isl. of Socotra.
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Cultivation
Babiana prefer lighter, well-draining soil. A 6" (15cm) depth is recommended for corms in warmer regions, deeper and winter-mulched in cooler regions. Plant in a warm and sunny spot.
Propagation
Propagation is from seeds and offsets.
Pests and diseases
Species
Selected species:
- Babiana ambigua - Common Baboon-root
- Babiana angustifolia
- Babiana curviscapa
- Babiana disticha
- Babiana flabellifolia
- Babiana fourcadei
- Babiana framesii
- Babiana longicollis
- Babiana montana
- Babiana nana - Sandflat Baboon-root
- Babiana patersoniae
- Babiana patula
- Babiana plicata
- Babiana purpurea
- Babiana pygmaea - Yellow Baboon-root
- Babiana ringens - Rat's-tail
- Babiana rubrocyanea
- Babiana stricta - common Babiana, Baboon flower
- Babiana socotrana
- Babiana truncata
- Babiana tubulosa - White Baboon-root
- Babiana vanzylieae
- Babiana villosa
Gallery
photo 1
photo 2
photo 3
References
- Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture, by L. H. Bailey, MacMillan Co., 1963
