Crocosmia x crocosmiiflora 'George Davison'

Description: One of the many forms of Crocosmia now available. Arching stems of amber yellow freesia like flowers of branched sprays give a superb show in mid summer as one of the earlier flowering varieties. Long sword like green leaves give additional effect in the border.

Uses: In any mixed border or herbaceous border giving bright summer colour. Especially good in drifts in a hot coloured border of reds, oranges and yellows. Good for encouraging insects especially hover flies.

Climate/Position: Open sunny position

Height/Spread: 80 x 60cm

Soil Requirements: Any free draining soil though homous rich soils prefered.

Pruning: Cut back the stems after flowering in late autumn.

Special Requirements: The root system is in fact a corm. Can be lifted after a number of years and divided removing old corms as this will help ensure prolific flowering.

Additional Interest: George Davison' is named after the head gardener at Westwick Hall, an early crocosmia enthusiast who bred around 13 varieties of the plant from 1895 onwards. Synonym of Crocosmia × crocosmiiflora 'Golden Glory'

The Common Montbretia, (Crocosmia x crocosmiiflora) was the first hybrid Crocosmia and was bred in France in 1879 by Victor Lemoine of Nancy. The plant Montbretia was named after Antoine Fran's Ernest Conquebert de Monbret, a botanist who accompanied Napoleon on his Egypt campaign in 1798. Crocosmia, is so named because the dried leaves smell of saffron when rubbed, and after the Greek words, krokos for saffron and osme for smell