The illustrated growing guide
Crocosmia
Crocosmia 'Lucifer' & hybrids
Family Iridaceae
Est. zones 5-9
Arching wands of blazing red or orange tubular flowers in mid-to-late summer — a hummingbird magnet and a striking cut flower with sword-like foliage. 'Lucifer' is the hardiest and most vigorous, naturalizing into fiery clumps. Plant corms in spring, mulch in colder zones, and divide when blooms thin out from overcrowding.
Full Sun
Moderate water
Fast growth
Attracts hummingbirds
Attracts beesI
Overview
Will crocosmia suit your garden, and what goes wrong.
Will it fruit where you are?
Enter your ZIP — we look up your USDA hardiness zone (2023 map) and check it against what crocosmia actually needs.
Life cyclePerennial zones 5–9, annual elsewhereCrocosmia at a glance
Common crocosmia problems
- Spider Mites
- Almost none
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Growing
Light, water, soil, propagation and the season’s jobs.
How to grow crocosmia: light, water & soil
How to plant & propagate crocosmia
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The year
What crocosmia asks for, month by month.
The crocosmia year, month by month
BloomPruneWhat each band means
- Bloom — flowers open — pollinators working, frost on blossoms is the danger.
- Prune — shape it now — cuts heal cleanly and structure is visible.
The crocosmia year as text
- Jan quiet month
- Feb quiet month
- Mar quiet month
- Apr quiet month
- May quiet month
- Jun quiet month
- Jul quiet month
- Aug bloom
- Sep pruning
- Oct pruning
- Nov pruning
- Dec quiet month
These are the species' typical months — expect them a few weeks earlier in warm zones and later in cold ones. Watch the plant, not just the calendar.
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Ecology & uses
What it does for the garden, and what it is grown for.
Crocosmia in the garden system
- Nectary/insectary
What crocosmia is grown for
✓ Commonly eaten
Harvesting & storing crocosmia
Cut for the vase (long-lasting).
Edibility, identification, and traditional-use notes here are general reference — not medical or veterinary advice, and not a claim that any plant treats or prevents anything. Medicinal ratings record how strongly a plant features in herbal tradition, nothing more. Never eat or dose a plant you have not positively identified. More on how to use this library.
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Cultivars
Named varieties of crocosmia, ruled as a catalogue.
Best crocosmia varieties & cultivars
'Lucifer' (fire-red, hardiest and tallest — the standard); 'Emily McKenzie' (orange); 'George Davison' (yellow)
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Sources & plant ID
Where the care distinctions come from, and how the plant is filed.
Research basis
Sources behind this profile
No extension citations are attached to crocosmiayet. The care figures below come from the library's own catalogue rather than a traced primary source.
Plant ID
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Where to buy
Third-party nurseries — not Story Thyme Farms.
Third-party nurseries, not Story Thyme Farms. Prices are theirs.
Story Thyme Farms may earn a small commission from these links, at no cost to you — it never changes what we recommend.
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Questions
Crocosmia questions, answered straight.
Is crocosmia safe for kids and pets?
Crocosmia is commonly eaten and isn't considered toxic, but "commonly eaten" isn't a guarantee for any particular person or animal — allergies, quantity, and which part you eat all matter. Never eat a plant you haven't positively identified, and check with a vet before letting pets or livestock graze anything new.
When do you harvest crocosmia?
Cut for the vase (long-lasting).
How do you propagate crocosmia?
Offsets, division, or bulbils.
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Elsewhere
Where crocosmia sits in the library.
Sunflower
Zinnia
Peony
Daylily