Moraea huttonii

Moraea huttonii is a beautiful South African perennial related to irises. It is exotic but easy to grow and hardy down to -10°C (14°F). It forms an ornamental large spreading tuft with pleasantly scented abundant yellow flowers in late spring and early summer. In the wild, Moraea often thrives near water sources where it has a great effect: it can be used in this way in gardens, or simply planted in a large flower bed. It also grows very well in large pots.

Moraea huttonii is a botanical species in the Iridaceae family, native to a region in South Africa with a subtropical climate of dry winters and humid summers. South of the Amatola Mountains, along the Drakensberg Mountains in KwaZulu-Natal and in the southern Mpumalanga, this Moraea forms prolific clumps and blooms in spring on the banks of mountain streams. It is herbaceous, perennial by its corm. The vegetation persists in winter down to about -5°C (23°F). From the base, long linear and arched green-blue leaves emerge, reaching up to 1.50 m (5ft) long, forming a tussock about 90 cm (35in) tall that spreads without theoretical limits. In late spring and early summer, depending on the climate, thin, sturdy, branched floral stems appear among the foliage, reaching up to 1.40 m (5ft) above the ground. The lemon yellow flowers have three small upright petals, three petaloid styles speckled with violet, and three large pendulous sepals speckled with dark yellow at the base and veined with brown.

Plant Moraea huttonii in any moist, humiferous soil, with good drainage to improve its frost resistance. It flowers in full sun but also in partial shade. It is attractive in many ways, opulent, natural, and vertical, it is magnificent in wild gardens, or Asian-inspired with its clean lines.  It will highlight the layout of a path and the edges of a pond or waterfall. It pairs well with Sisyrinchium, Crocosmia crocosmiiflora Emily McKenzie, Liatris, or Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Karl Foerster'.