Patersonia Species

Another frost this morning!

Back to the tufted plants. I have been trying for ages to germinate seed of Patersonia umbrosa variety xanthina (used to be called Patersonia xanthina). The Patersonias are commonly called ‘Native Iris’. It is a native ‘iris’ purely because it has a form similar to iris. In reality the flower is nothing like it especially the latest very large flag irises being devoloped these days.

Patersonia umbrosa has violet flowers, however the variety xanthina is yellow! I would love to be the one to produce some from seed. It has the reputation of being difficult. To have a few yellow ones growing amongst the purple would be very special. This plant comes from Western Australia.

Patersonia occidentalis comes from South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania and Western Australis. This has the typical violet coloured flowers. There is also a white form of Patersonia occidentalis which would also look wonderful dotted amongst the violet.

The flowering stem has numerous buds along it much like a gladiolus and each flower opens in succession along the stem. Unlike gladiolus, each flower finishes as the next opens. A patch of these plants, rather than plants in isolation, looks wonderful.