Botanical Name: Freesia laxa (Lapeirousia laxa)
Common Name: Woodland painted petals
Type of Plant: monocot: perennial
Character deciduous corm
 
Habit of Growth:
Overall Shape Small clumping plant with irregular spreading leaves to 4" long; forms a loose clump of corms and seedlings
Height to 6"
Spread to 12"
Growth Rate moderate
 
Environment:
Exposure outdoors; full sun to partial shade
Soil prefers a well-drained soil; tolerates a wide range
Hardiness hardy, zones 5-24
 
Morphology:
Leaves small grassy leaves 4" to 6" long, emerging at different angles forming a loose clump
Flowers rosy pink flowers with red centers, to 1/2" across forming in small racemes
Fruit small 3-valved capsule, seeds freely
 
Propagation:
seed, division
 
Usage:
small rock garden subject, near borders and walkways; good in pots and raised planters; one of the best small-scale bulbs for southern California
 
Landscape Care:
Watering likes average water during growth; tolerates no care when dormant during summer and fall; accepts some summer water without rotting
Fertilizing slow-release at planting
Pruning remove dead leaves in late spring or summer
Pests/Diseases none
Special Conditions/Other Recently reclassified from Lapeirousia to Freesia
 
Origin: South Africa
Family: Iridaceae
 
Notes:
 
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