Cypella cœlestis

The genus

A South American iridaceous plant with long pleated leaves. The ephemeral flowers (with the typical 3 large dominant segments) are produced in a continuous succession over a long period in the summer.These species need summer moisture to thrive and are mostly found in humid habitats which often become dry during the winter. Will Ashburner: "These species are easily grown in well draining soil or in pots in full sun. They are semi-evergreen, never going fully dormant and never losing all their leaves in winter. In my Hamilton garden, these species are frost hardy, whether in pots or in the ground. In fact, I suspect the plants require a certain amount of cold during winter to flower well the following spring and summer.... Generally, all species of Cypella respond well to regular applications of fertiliser. The better the plant is grown the more flowers are produced. If the plants are kept well watered, flowering will continue into the summer for C. armosa, C. fucata, C. herbertii and C. osteniana. Sometimes if a watering is missed the plants will temporarily stop flowering, but will resume when watered again if the break is not too long. Don't allow the bulbs to dry out when being transplanted. Time out of the ground should be minimised, because many species are never fully dormant. Also, the bulbs do not have very thick skins to protect them from desiccation."