Wand Flower Ixia

This showy "Corn Lily" is actually in the Iris family and native to South Africa's Cape Province.  The yellow and orange-yellow flowers are star-shaped of  6 petals up to 2.5 inches.  Leaves are long and sword-like while10-20 inch wiry stems hold the clusters of flowers.  This plant enjoys full to afternoon sun and prefers well-drained, highly organic soil with a pH of neutral to alkaline.  Keep moist during the growing season, but reduce after blooms fade as the plant becomes dormant in mid-summer.  Corms may also be removed from the soil and overwintered in a cool, dry planting medium.  In spring, plant the corms to a depth of 5 in. (15 cm), space 2-3 in. (7 cm) apart, or in containers of 6 inches for up to 6 corms.   These are great for use in beds, borders for fresh cut flowers, and naturalized in meadows.