Ixia patens Ait.

Horticultural & Botanical History

‘This is from the Cape of Good Hope: it was introduced in 1779.  It flowers in the month of June, and the blossoms are very rich and beautiful.’  [LBC no.1142, 1826]. 

‘This very shewy Ixia, the brilliancy of whose flowers it is impossible to imitate by art, is a native of the Cape, and has been of late years imported from Holland by the name of Ixia kermesina; but was, as we are informed by Mr. Aiton, first introduced into this country by the late Dr. William Pitcairn in the year 1779.  It varies much in the breadth and length of the segments of the limb, and in colour from a deep crimson to a light vermillion; in the length and breadth of the leaves, which are sometimes nearly lanceolate, at others linear-ensiform, sometimes nearly equal to the stem, sometimes not half the length.  Some varieties have, as in our figure, a small greenish star at the base, in others the colour is uniform.  All are scentless and flower nearly at the same time.  It varies also much in the number of flowers, and the scape is sometimes simple, at others a little branched.’  [BM t.522/1801].

History at Camden Park

Listed in all published catalogues [B.283/1843].

Notes

See also Ixia longituba N.E.Br.

For further discussion of Ixias see Ixia hybrid ‘Calypso’.