Ixia viridiflora
Mary Sue Ittner (Mon, 25 Feb 2008 08:08:06 PST)

Dear Juliet,

Welcome to the pbs list. We have a couple of members of our group who live
in the North Island of New Zealand and perhaps they will respond to your
question about Ixia viridiflora. This is the Ixia that everyone wants to
grow because of the amazing turquoise color. I grow it in containers, but
it is hit or miss about blooming and this does not seem to be unusual. I've
yet to figure out exactly what it needs. And I believe that I am not alone
in having difficulty keeping it going. But you are in luck since I
understand it does well in New Zealand.

Suggestions that have been given on our list in the past that may or may
not help you. I've lost all the Ixia viridiflora I've put in the ground
even though other Ixias grow fine in my climate. I've grown it from seed as
has Jane McGary and it has bloomed in three or four years from seed. It
does not expand prolifically like a lot of other Ixias I grow and since it
doesn't always bloom and everyone wants it that may be why it is a bit
challenging to obtain. I once included seeds and corms of it for someone
else when I ordered from Gordon Summerfield in South Africa and that person
wrote a few years later asking me if I was going to order again since his
success was short lived and he wanted to try them again.

A member of another list from Australia accidentally left his dormant pots
of this species when young in a greenhouse where they got watered all
summer when they were dormant and they thrived which made me start giving
mine occasional summer water even though generally the thought is that
winter rainfall Ixias should be kept dry when dormant. He also commented
that they resented disturbance and that a grower who were selling them lost
about a third of them when he dug them up for sale. In South Africa Rachel
Saunders reported some people growing this species in pure sand with added
fertilizer. Hers planted out in the ground disappeared after about 3 years.
Bill Richardson from our list (Victoria, Australia) who specializes in
growing Ixia has reported great results with this species in the past and
he grows them in the ground! He is actually the only one I've ever heard
that can boast of this. Perhaps he will give us all an update about how to
grow this bulb successfully.

Mary Sue

Mary Sue Ittner
California's North Coast
Wet mild winters with occasional frost
Dry mild summers