Moraea tulbaghensis 15 seeds

Winter growing bulb from South Africa, hardy to zone 8. Sow autumn.

The spectacular orange or brick-red blooms of Moraea tulbaghensis appear in profusion from mid to late spring, yet are seldom seen in the wild, and the species is not widely grown. Although loss of natural habitat has placed it on the Red List, it is highly amenable to cultivation.

Moraea tulbaghensis is a winter-growing, summer-dormant geophyte (a plant that grows from subterranean buds attached to specialized storage organs) with a well-developed corm that is annually replaced and consists of a short, solid, vertical stem surrounded by strong outer corm tunics.

The corm produces a single erect to spreading, channelled, linear leaf up to 0.5 m long that is covered with fine hairs on the lower surface. The plant reaches up to 0.4 m high in flower. The flowers occur in shades of light to deep orange or brick-red, and are produced in a cluster at the tip of the long slender scape (flower stem) that sometimes develops short side branches. The three large, showy outer tepals of the flowers are usually marked with a single large, emerald green or metallic blue peacock eye near the base, and are attractively dotted with black just below the eye. These eyes and dots act as nectar guides for the beetle pollinators of the species. The prominent white, centrally placed style consists of three flat branches, and a profusion of sticky orange pollen is produced from a large anther situated underneath each style branch.

Sow the seeds in late autumn in deep seed trays, pots or directly into deep seed beds, in the same medium recommended for mature corms. Sow the seeds at a depth of 3–4 mm and take care not to sow too thickly, to prevent overcrowding and reduce the likelihood of loss due to damping-off fungi. Keep the seeds constantly moist and they will germinate within four to six weeks. Seedlings can be left undisturbed for two growing seasons before lifting and planting into permanent positions at the beginning of their third winter growing season, during which some may flower for the first time, if well grown.