Data sources

Bulbil Bugle-lily

Watsonia meriana

Animal-friendly

Supports sunbirds

Habitats

Near water

Soils

Soil: clay

Soil: sandy

Grows from corms up to 2m tall with erect, strap-like, flat pointed leaves and a large orange flower.

Propagation by seed

(Little info available so Watsonia pilansii instructions used:)
Propagate by seed or lift and divide the corms.
Sow seed in spring, in deep seed trays or seed beds, using as sandy mixture such as 50:50 washed sand and fine compost or loam. Fresh seed will germinate in three to four weeks. Allow seedlings to remain in their trays for two growing seasons before lifting and transplanting them. Transplant them in spring. Flowering can be expected from their third or fourth year.

Propagation by cutting

Lift and divide the corms in late spring, just before active growth begins. Remove the old corms that stack up underneath the current corm and replant the current one (uppermost one). Remove any offsets. Reduce the leaves by half and replant immediately. Plant the corms 100 mm deep. Do not store the corms dry, they will dry out very rapidly if stored out of soil. Allow the corms to be left undisturbed for at least five years between lifting and dividing.

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