Watsonia (genus)

Japanese name: ワトソニア
Scientific name: Watsonia

[Overview]
A perennial with a corm.
The corm is enclosed in a coarse, fibrous outer coat.
The stem is thin and hard.
The leaves are alternate in two ranks and sword-shaped.
Some grow from autumn to spring and die back to dormancy in summer, while others are evergreen.
A spike at the stem tip bears many 6-petaled flowers.
The flower tube narrows at the base.
The stigma tip is 3-lobed, and each lobe is further divided into 2.
The fruit is a spherical or cylindrical capsule.

[Cultivation]
Propagate from seed or by dividing the corms.
In regions without frost it can overwinter outdoors, and plants in the ground grow well even if left in place for several years.
In regions with frost, if corms are planted in early autumn, protect them from frost, for example by moving them into a frame, so that the emerging leaves are not damaged.
It prefers a sunny, well-drained site.
Take care not to overwater; for potted plants, water when the soil surface dries during the growing period and reduce watering during dormancy.
For plants in the ground, rainfall is sufficient.
Fertilizer is best kept light; if a base fertilizer is applied, none is particularly needed, but for potted plants slow-release fertilizer may be applied before flowering in spring.
There are no particular pests or diseases.

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