"Crocosmia: A Plant for Fall " - Article by David Fenwick

Davison chose a large-flowered newly imported Pfitzer hybrid from Germany called 'Germania' as the pollen donor; it was an important step regarding the development of the genus as crossed with 'George Davison' a new strain of hardier, potentially polyploid hybrids was created. Wallace and Co., nursery and landscape specialists at that time commissioned Davison's breeding and propagated and distributed his material. From 1895-1912, he produced 11 hybrids these include 'George Davison', 'Lady Hamilton', Prometheus' and 'Star of the East', which are still in cultivation today. Davison's expertise in breeding turned to apples in 1908, but fortunately, stocks of his Montbretia were given to another Norfolk plantsman Sydney Morris and here's where the real story starts.

The Development of the Earlham Giant Montbretia

It was this gift of material that gave rise to the largest, brightest and most popular strain of Montbretias ever created, the Earlham Giant Strain. No-one knows what attracted Sydney Morris to Montbretias, whether it was his head gardener George Henley or indeed the popularity of George Davison's hybrids, which were extensively exhibited. The early breeding work was done in the grounds of Wretham Hall, Norfolk and documentation is very limited regarding this early work but we know that the first hybrid was developed in 1909 and was named after its breeder 'George Henley', and was awarded a RHS Award of Merit later that year. In 1912 or 1913 Sydney Morris must have either bought or leased Earlham Hall, Norwich, from the Guerney family as we know that Wallace and Co. were commissioned to design and landscape the grounds of Earlham Hall. An enthusiastic young horticulturalist called J. E. Fitt was chosen by Wallace and Co. to supervise this work. According to the Fitt family, Morris was so pleased with the work of this young horticulturalist that he was asked to stay on and assist George Henley as his head gardener was reaching retirement.

Jack finally took over from George Henley in 1916 and became Morris's head gardener at Earlham Hall, where he worked until Morris's death in 1924. On Morris's death he was bequest all of the Montbretia stocks and was asked to become the head gardener for the Honary Mrs. Edwin Montagu of Breccles Hall, Attleborough, Norfolk. Beatrice Venetia Montagu and J. E. Fitt very successfully carried on breeding and showing Montbretia. All new hybrids were still called Earlham Giant Montbretia in memory of Sydney Morris, and many new forms were shown and given RHS Awards of Merit just like the ones that were originally raised at Earlham Hall. All were raised from seed and most flowered just ten or eleven months later.

Similarly, the naming of their hybrids didn't change much as Earlham Hybrids as a general rule are either named because of a floral attribute or after VIPs or important plantsmen of the time. E. A. Bowles, a close friend of Jack Fitt, was honoured by this, indeed Bowles painted some fine examples of Earlham Hybrids, namely 'Citronella', 'Queen Alexandra' and 'His Majesty'. Lady Churchill (Clementine Churchill) was also honoured, as she was the cousin of Beatrice Venetia Montagu.

Sir Winston Churchill and Lady Churchill were frequent visitors to Breccles Hall; indeed like the well-known wall that Churchill built at Chartwell, unknown to many, he also built a wall at Breccles. J. E. Fitt's assistant Albert Hill, who was in charge of Montbretias, was in 1928, asked to become head gardener at Chartwell, and not surprisingly some breeding continued at Chartwell.

Earlham Hybrids, unlike Davison's hybrids were sold from both Earlham Hall and Breccles Hall, and because of their size and beauty, the largest blooms measuring four inches in diameter; they became extremely fashionable and commanded very high prices. 'His Majesty' RHS Award of Merit 1919, was sold by Sydney Morris in 1920 for £2 per corm. From 1909 to 1939 over one hundred Earlham Giant Montbretias were produced, their selection was indeed very rigorous as only the best hybrids were commercially released, devotion to the plants was indeed more important to their breeders than any potential commercial gain. Their dedication and devotion is a credit to both them and their family, it is just such a shame that the events of 1939 and the outbreak of the Second World War ended such a glorious period of our horticultural heritage.

The Modern Era

Very few Crocosmia varieties were produced or named after the war or in the 1950s, and we really have to wait until Alan Bloom's involvement with them at Bressingham, and the breeding of 'Lucifer' in 1966, that we see a rise in their popularity once more. Blooms went on to breed a number of significant hybrids of garden worthiness, and most of these became exceedingly popular, and because hardier than most of the varieties that had previously been bred. The varieties include such plans as 'Bressingham Blaze', 'Bressingham Beacon', 'Vulcan', 'Jenny Bloom', 'Spitfire' and 'Firebird'. Their use of both Crocosmia paniculata and Crocosmia masoniorum in their hybrids, two much hardier species gave rise to a new period of Crocosmia breeding and popularity. Crocosmia have never really been out of fashion since, 'Lucifer' remains one of the most sought after and popular varieties, and I very much doubt Crocosmia would ever have become so fashionable if it wasn't for the work done at Bressingham.

Throughout the seventies, eighties and nineties, and with heightened interest in the genus many older varieties have indeed been found and introduced to the horticultural trade, but many more new varieties have also been developed, and by both commercial and amateur breeders, and we are again blessed with a good selection we can chose from for our gardens.

These new hybrids can be roughly divided into three groups:

Crocosmia - A Plant for the Fall
by David Fenwick

The genus Crocosmia or, as it is sometimes and historically referred to, Montbretia or Tritonia, is a small genus of South African plants of the family iridaceae, and contains eight species. The species include mathewsiana, pearsei, aurea, paniculata, pottsii, masoniorum, fucata and the Madagascan Crocosmia ambongensis, recently transferred from Geissorhiza (Goldblatt).

Hybridisation started in Nancy, France as early as 1879 with the crossing of Crocosmia aurea with Crocosmia pottsii by the eminent plantsman Victor Lemoine. The cross, scientifically know as Crocosmia x crocosmiiflora and commonly as the Common Montbretia, is now globally widespread, a vigorous plant, and very commonly seen. However, it is the fore-runner of so many glorious varieties that we have to be thankful for, as without them the fall would never be the same.

From 1879 - 1908 Lemoine produced a further 55 varieties that he sold and exported from his nursery in France; included with these were two completely double varieties, 'Globe d'or' and C. x crocosmiiflora 'Flore - Pleno'.

Lemoine's success in breeding Crocosmia was also noticed by other European plantsmen. Plantsmen, such as the German Wilhelm Pfitzer, and the Frenchmen Leonard Lille, Jacques Welker and Francois-Valerie Gerbeaux, who all went on to produce their own hybrids.

Hybridisation began in Britain as early as 1895 with the interest of George Davison, head gardener for Col. Petre at Westwick Hall, Norfolk. His first hybrid called 'George Davison' RHS Award of Merit 1902 was of Lemoine parentage, but Davison was not happy with the Lemoine hybrids for breeding purposes as he wanted to produce hybrids that were hardier and larger in flower size, as until the early twentieth century many of the hardier hybrids were still of comparatively small bloom size.

(1) The frost hardy forms based on the species masoniorum and paniculata, which can be recognised by their pleated leaves and recommended varieties of these include the oranges of 'Jupiter', 'Zeal Giant' and 'Severn Sunrise', the latter shading pink; the reds of 'Anniversary' and 'Dixter Flame' and the yellows of 'Rowallane Yellow', 'Walberton Yellow' and the new bicoloured American hybrid by Heronswood Nursery called 'Fire Jumper'.

(2) Traditional, (non-invasive),Montbretia types or good hardiness and bedding quality; reds include a hybrid bred by the late Augustus John Hogan of Hayle, Cornwall, named 'A. J. Hogan', and 'Zeal Tan' by Terry Jones of Zeal Monachorum, Devon. Good oranges include Constance, a Dutch hybrid, and the nicely marked new release of 'Festival Orange'. Of the yellows 'Custard Cream', 'Buttercup' and 'Lambrook Gold' are well worth trying. Those closest to pink include 'Debutant', which is becoming a very popular and desired variety and pottsii 'Culzean Pink', which has lots of smaller flowers and provides a nice contrast to most.

(3) The slightly less hardy Montbretia types, often having coloured-leaves and well marked flowers, they make really nice patio plants for containers if placed where they can be best viewed when in flower; but equally they can also be planted in the border if given some protection in the form of a mulch, during the winter period. There is one breeder that has pioneered their breeding and has lead the way in producing a range of coloured leaved Montbretia that also exhibit a wide range of flower colour, and this is Phillipa Browne of Overseas Farm Nursery, Little Marcle, Ledbury, Herefordshire, UK. Phillipa has been responsible for breeding many well-known excellent varieties including 'Debutante', 'Custard Cream' and the bicoloured 'Harlequin' but she is also responsible for producing these extremely good bronze-leaves forms and they include 'Burford Bronze', 'Sultan', 'Saracen', 'Goldie', 'Dusky Maiden', 'Starfire' and one of my favourites 'Fireglow'.

Cultivation

Crocosmia enjoy a well-manured, water retentative soil, they are gross feeders and a require moisture at their roots, mulching is extremely beneficial on all soils but especially on dry or sandy ones. Many hardy varieties will also tolerate a lot of winter wet as their corms continue to develop through the winter months.

They will thrive in an open or in a slightly shaded position, indeed some larger flowered hybrids such as Emily McKenzie prefer to be a little shaded. Feeding, plants, especially those in containers, benefit from a drench of Miracle-Gro (normal strength) every two - three weeks during the summer, but please make sure the compost or soil is moist first, and so the plants can best benefit from its application.

Planting, always remember to plant Crocosmia corms at a depth of at least 4 -5 inches, more for larger cormed varieties such as Zeal Giant; this lessens the risk of frost damage and ensures bulbs are deep enough to find both water and nutrients during drier summer months. When buying containerised corms remember that the corms are not always planted at the correct depth in the pot. In some instances corms may only be planted 1-2 inches from the surface of the compost, and thus unless they are planted deeper they may get severely damaged in their first winter. In South Africa where Crocosmia come from, bulbs are often found quite deep in the soil, and because they've evolved this way, and to escape frost and predation by mole rats and baboons.

David Fenwick (M.Hort) RHS int., A.N.C.H.

* * *

Photographs of many more Crocosmia can be found online at David Fenwick's
Crocosmia with Chasmanthe Gallery

David Fenwick is fourty-three years of age, from Saltash, Cornwall. A horticulturalist since leaving school, David studied at both Pershore and Cannington Colleges in the 1980s, gaining qualifications up to the RHS Master of Horticulture Stage One. Previous holder of five National Plant Collections, which include the NCCPG National Collections of Crocosmia with Chasmanthe, Freesia (Anomatheca Group), Eucomis with Galtonia, Tulbaghia and Amaryllis (including the intergeneric hybrids of x Amarygia, x Amarine and x Amacrinum), amongst other collections. His website is called 'The African Garden', which can be found at The African Garden. David is also a very keen wildlife photographer and produces the following websites, dedicated to wild flowers and other wildlife.

A Photo Flora of the Devon and Cornwall Penninsula and West Yorkshire

A Photo Fauna of the Devon and Cornwall Penninsula

A Photo Fungi of the Devon and Cornwall Penninsula