Hesperantha coccinea Major - Lis des Cafres, Schizostyle écarlate, Schizostyle rouge, Hesperanthe écarlate

Hesperantha coccinea ‘Major’, often called Schizostylis coccinea ‘Major’ or Crimson flag lily, is a vigorous perennial for moist to wet ground. This old variety is recognisable by its large scarlet-red to crimson-red flowers, broader than those of the wild species. Gathered on very upright stems, they bloom from late summer to mid-autumn, when many perennials have finished flowering. ‘Major’ is a good plant for pond margins and sunny borders that do not dry out in summer. Its cut flowers also last well in a vase.

This plant belongs to the Iridaceae family, like irises, crocosmias and gladioli. It is a herbaceous perennial with a rhizomatous rootstock. Its former botanical genus, Schizostylis, has been merged into the genus Hesperantha; the name Schizostylis coccinea nevertheless remains widely used in horticulture. The species grows naturally in southern Africa, from eastern Zimbabwe to the Eastern Cape, as well as in Lesotho and Eswatini. It is found along watercourses, near seepages and at the edges of marshes, in soils saturated with water during its growing period. ‘Major’, whose precise horticultural origin is undocumented, is also known under the names ‘Grandiflora’ and ‘Gigantea’. It has received the Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society. The rootstock gradually widens by producing new dense shoots. It forms a clump of narrow, upright, light green leaves, 30 to 40 cm long. The foliage persists more or less during mild winters but disappears under the effect of harder frosts before regrowing in spring. The flower stems, thin but fairly firm, bear up to ten flowers arranged in a loose spike. Each flower measures 5 to 6 cm in diameter. Six widely opened floral segments form a star or shallow cup, reminiscent of a small gladiolus. The buds open successively along the spike, from August to October, and sometimes later if the autumn is mild. The plant reaches 50 to 60 cm in height with a spread of 30 to 40 cm. Its flowering depends directly on the moisture available during summer: soil that dries out for a long period slows growth and reduces the number of flower stems. The rootstock withstands frosts close to –10 °C when well established and protected.

Schizostylis ‘Major’ naturally finds its place on a bank that does not dry out, in a rain garden or among the perennials of a large moist border. Its red colour pairs well with the white spikes of Persicaria amplexicaulis ‘Alba’, the golden foliage of Carex elata ‘Aurea’ and the blue flowers of the great blue lobelia. A Japanese iris such as ‘Dinner Plate Ice Cream’ will flower earlier in the same moist soil in summer. These plants all suit the edges of a pond or clay soils that retain water well, without requiring permanent immersion. The crimson flag lily can also be grown in a large container, provided its substrate does not dry out during summer.