Tritonia crocata -

Family:	Iridaceae
Habit:	Corm
Height:	0.5
Width:	0.1
Synonyms:	T. hyalina.
Range:	S. Africa.

Tritonia crocata () is a Corm which grows to a height of 0.5m and a width of 0.1m . It has a hardness rating of 9.
Tritonia crocata will flower in November to December. The flowers from this plant are hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and they are pollinated by

Soil Information

Tritonia crocata will grow in light (sandy),medium (loamy),hard (clay) soil. It is not necessary for the soil to be well drained.
The soil prefers the following PH / acid levels :
- pH of less than 6, Acidic soils
- pH between 6 and 8, Neutral soils
- pH greater than 8, Basic soils
Tritonia crocata prefers moist soils

Ideal Planting Locations

Tritonia crocata should not be planted in shady areas.

Not known

Planting places suited to this plant described below.

• Grows within a woodland garden
• Grows on a sunny edge
• Will grow in a hedge row

Cultivation Details

Requires a sunny position, preferring a well-drained neutral to slightly acid soil with a pH in the range 6.5 to 7[200]. Requires moisture in the winter and spring followed by a dry period in the summer and early autumn[260]. A difficult plant to grow outdoors in Britain, it comes into growth in the winter and flowers in the spring[214, 260]. The growing plant is not hardy in the colder areas of the country, it tolerates temperatures down to between -5 and -10°c[200]. Closely related to T. squallida, apparently differing only in the colour of the flowers[200].

Edible Uses*

* See disclaimer
Edible Rating: 1/5
The flowers are used as an adulterant of saffron in flavouring food and colouring it yellow[183].

• Colouring - edible dyes
• Condiment - the various plants that are used as flavourings, either as herbs, spices or condiments.

Medicinal Uses*

* See disclaimer
Medicinal Rating: 0/5
None known

Propagation

Seed - sow early spring in a greenhouse at 15°c[200]. It usually germinates freely[1]. Seed can also be sown as soon as it is ripe in the autumn in a warm greenhouse[200]. Sow the seed thinly so that the seedlings can be left undisturbed in the pot for their first two years of growth. Give them an occasional liquid feed in the growing season to ensure they do not become nutrient deficient. When the plants become dormant in the summer, pot up the small bulbs placing 2 - 3 bulbs in each pot. Grow them on for another one or two years in the greenhouse before planting them out when they are dormant in late summer. Division. Dig up the corms in October, dry them in well ventilated conditions at about 20°c and then store them in a cool but frost-free place over the winter, planting them out about 10cm deep in April[1, 200]. Corms should be planted out in the autumn[188]. Cormlets harvested when digging up the corms in the autumn can be stored in a similar manner to the corms[200]. Larger cormlets can be planted out in spring, smaller ones may be best grown on for a year in the greenhouse.

Known Hazards

None known

Other Uses

None known

Cultivars

no recorded cultivars

References

The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Huxley. A.
Author: Huxley. A.
Rating:
Publisher : Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
Date of Publication : 1992

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