Bugle lily


Bugle lily

Watsonia meriana

Scientific name

Grows from corms up to 2m tall with erect, strap-like, flat pointed leaves and a large orange flower.

Propagation instructions

By seed

(Little info available so Watsonia pilansii instructions used:)

Propagate by seed or lift and divide the corms.

Sow seed in spring, in deep seed trays or seed beds, using as sandy mixture such as 50:50 washed sand and fine compost or loam. Fresh seed will germinate in three to four weeks. Allow seedlings to remain in their trays for two growing seasons before lifting and transplanting them. Transplant them in spring. Flowering can be expected from their third or fourth year.

By cutting

Lift and divide the corms in late spring, just before active growth begins. Remove the old corms that stack up underneath the current corm and replant the current one (uppermost one). Remove any offsets. Reduce the leaves by half and replant immediately. Plant the corms 100 mm deep. Do not store the corms dry, they will dry out very rapidly if stored out of soil. Allow the corms to be left undisturbed for at least five years between lifting and dividing.

References and further reading

Wikipedia page »

Image credit: Wikimedia Commons.
Seedbank Quantity
Arundel Seedbank 100
Zenker Seed Emporium 50
Total 150
Nursery Quantity
Amsterdam 50
Total 50

This table below shows how many plants we are trying to obtain for this species.

Site Area Quantity
Site #60 Bishop's Court 10
Site #62 Newlands 35
Site #15 Rosebank 15
Total 60

Important characteristics

Conservation status: Least Concern

This species was selected because it has various important characteristics.

Suitable for wet sites

Suitable for clay soil

Suitable for sandy soil

It provides food for:

Southern double-collared sunbird

Watsonia meriana is indigenous to: Cape Flats Sand Fynbos Cape Flats Sand Fynbos

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