Freesia Double Mix

This selection of Freesia Double Mix brings together a beautiful collection of cultivars with double flowers and infinitely varied colours. From white to very dark red, the flowers display almost all the colours of the rainbow in a pastel, vibrant, or dramatic range. This cormous plant is not hardy, but its flowering is as dazzling as it is deliciously fragrant. In a moderate to cold climate, it is essential to plant the corms in a pot in spring, and the flowers will bloom in the sun for much of summer. In mild climates, it will flower in spring.

Freesias, also known as cape lilies, are native to East Africa, from Kenya to South Africa. They were named by Danish botanist Ecklon in honour of one of his brightest students, Dr. Freese, who was a physician, pharmacist, and botanist. These beautiful plants belong to the Iridaceae family. Their floral stems give them a spreading and highly branched habit.

It develops deciduous, tender green foliage that is upright and sword-shaped with a sharp tip. The leaves and floral spikes reach the same height, about 35cm (14in). The inflorescence develops from May to July, at the terminal part of a floral spike with a convex habit. This unilateral flowering consists of 8 to 10 flowers, 2 to 3cm (1in) in diameter, in the form of double cups. They are actinomorphic, meaning radially symmetrical. Each corm will produce 4 to 5 spikes. The flowers have a sweet scent reminiscent of jasmine. Some may even describe it as having fragrant tones of neroli with spicy and honeyed undertones. Freesias are often referred to as bulbous plants. More precisely, it is a corm, an underground organ that stores nutrients for the plant. Unlike true bulbs, the corm exhausts all of its reserves during each seasonal cycle and is replaced each time by a new one. These corms are conical and measure about 1 to 2cm (1in) at its base. They should be planted with the apex facing upwards at a depth of 5cm (2in). This will make it easier for the new shoots to emerge. The foliage dries up and disappears after flowering. The plant then enters dormancy in dry soil

Freesias are frost-sensitive and cannot tolerate temperatures below -3°C (26.6°F). If you want to grow them in open ground, make sure that the last frosts have passed before planting. Plant them in a sunny location. They prefer moist, well-drained, sandy to rocky soils. They do not appreciate limestone. They can be paired with orange, yellow, or red crocosmias in rock gardens or border plantings. Whether in the ground or in a pot, they can be combined with other elegant plants, such as agapanthus, tuberose, crinum, moorea, and lycoris.

Freesias are perfect in elaborate floral arrangements. Once the first flowers have bloomed, you can prune the floral stem and keep the flowers fresh for about three weeks.