TIGER-FLOWER
Family IRIDACEAE
Tigridia pavonia
Perennial
A half-hardy bulbous plant from Mexico, also
called Tiger Iris.
The stems are forked and leafy, rising one to
two feet, the plaited leaves being from nine to
fifteen inches long.
The flowers consist of three outer segments and
three short inner ones with a violet base, changing
to scarlet at the tips of the outer segments;
it is the central zone of yellow blotched with
purple that gives the flower its name.
There are many beautiful forms, including
var. alba, white with purple spotted centre;
var. aurea, yellow with mottled centre;
var. conchiflora, yellow with purple blotched
centre;
var. grandiflora, a large-flowered form of the
type.
The individual flowers last only a day, but are
followed by others.
May be grown in full sun, in well-drained rich
soil.
Plant in late March, five inches deep, and, if
necessary, protect from late frosts by a light
covering of bracken.
Lift as soon as the foliage ripens in late summer,
ripen the bulbs and store away from frost during
winter.
Propagate by means of offsets or from seed.
The flowering season is in summer.
Tigridia – Ferraria
Hardy Bulb.
About fifteen inches.
Flowers white, scarlet and yellow, in July and
August.
A flower of almost tropical gaudiness, three-lobed,
resembling in shape the flat-built Iris Kaempferi;
the colouring is chiefly orange and yellow, with
scarlet spots and blotches.
Each individual bloom
lasts one day, falling at dusk.
The bulbs are
hardy on light, warm soils; in less favourable
conditions they should be lifted and stored during
the winter.
Plant in February or March, three
inches deep and six apart.
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