Dierama

Such an unusual addition to the garden, this South African native is notable first for its movement -- the slightest breeze sets it quivering, and a nice wind makes it shimmy and dip! The second fascinating feature is the way the bright starry flowers are set -- very widely-spaced at an angle along the stem, like fish on a line. The third is its tolerance both of damp or even wet soils AND of drought conditions!

If you are as intrigued as we were by this, you will love the fact that the foliage -- which reaches about 2 feet high and wide -- is evergreen and grasslike, suggesting a wildness that is very appealing as a waterside planting or a mass grouping. When the blooms appear, they arise on very long, slender, arching stems that can reach 4 to 7 feet high. A magnificent sight, especially against a dark backdrop such as a green tree or a brown wall. The flowers are a few inches wide and very intensely colored, ranging from white to pink to rose and magenta shades.

Dierama was first collected in South Africa by the Victorian plant explorer Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker, who brought it back to the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew. It has made several appearances, variously called Fairy Wand, Venus's Fishing Pole, and Angel's Fishing Rod, over the years, but it is an acquired taste and has never reached a wide gardening audience. That's one of the reasons we're so delighted to make it available to Park gardeners this season! Here is something different from the same old same old!

Now, this is not the easiest seed to start, though it's more slow than hard. Sow it in late winter at a temperature of 68 to 75 degrees F. If it doesn't germinate within 20 weeks (yes, twenty!), move it to cooler temperatures -- say about 24 to 39 degrees F for 5 weeks, then try again. (Just pop it into the refrigerator to cool down. If you're using a Bio Dome, take off the dome, cover the top of the planting block with plastic wrap, and put the whole tray in the fridge.) You can also begin the seeds in a cold frame in fall, where they will get a chill period naturally.

Once the seeds sprout, the hard work is done, and the plant actually grows very quickly. It will take a season or two to bloom, but the grassy evergreen foliage will cover its 2-foot space promptly and look good year-round. Give it LOTS of water during the summer and other dry times the first season or two; after that it is virtually self-sufficient! Have fun with this unique and exciting treasure! Zones 7-9. Pkt is 10 seeds.