edenhana

Freesia

Corms need genuinely free-draining soil or they rot over a wet winter - plant on a mound or in containers if your soil is heavy. North Island gardeners can start as early as March; South Island gardeners should wait until April or May.

Sun
full sun
Water
moderate
Spacing
8cm
Difficulty
beginner
Grows in
Whangārei / Northland, Auckland, Hamilton / Waikato, Tauranga / Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Napier / Hawke's Bay, New Plymouth / Taranaki, Palmerston North / Manawatū-Whanganui, Wellington, Nelson, Tasman, Blenheim / Marlborough, West Coast, Christchurch / Canterbury, Dunedin / Otago, Invercargill / Southland
Mature height
30cm
Flowering season
Aug, Sep, Oct
Common diseases
Corm rot in wet soil

When to plant by region

In Whangārei / Northland, Auckland, Tauranga / Bay of Plenty, Gisborne and Napier / Hawke's Bay: March. In Hamilton / Waikato, New Plymouth / Taranaki, Palmerston North / Manawatū-Whanganui, Wellington, Nelson and Tasman: April. In Blenheim / Marlborough, West Coast, Christchurch / Canterbury, Dunedin / Otago and Invercargill / Southland: April-May.

Growing stages

  1. Germination & plantingMarch in the North Island; April/May in the South Island

    • Corms need genuinely free-draining soil or they rot over a wet winter; plant on a mound or in containers if soil is heavy
    • North Island gardeners can start as early as March; South Island gardeners should wait until April or May
    • Space corms around 8cm apart in full sun

  2. Establishment

    • Water moderately while roots and shoots establish
    • Corm rot can take hold early if soil stays wet, so keep drainage sharp

  3. Vegetative growth

    • Full sun keeps growth compact and supports strong flowering
    • Continue to avoid overwatering, since wet soil is the main cause of corm rot

  4. FloweringAugust to October

    • Blooms appear from around August through October
    • Keep soil just moist rather than wet while in bloom to avoid corm rot

  5. Dieback & dormancy

    • Let the foliage die back naturally after flowering rather than cutting it down early, so the corm can store energy for next year's blooms
    • Lift and store corms, or leave them in free-draining soil or containers, over the dry dormant summer

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