Ixia Mabel - Corn lily

Ixia Mabel is a variety of Corn Lily that stands tall to attract attention at the Chelsea Flower Show. It captivates with its large, intense and bright pink-purple flowering spikes. The numerous star-shaped corollas cluster like foliage around thin and elegant stems, which disappear under the flowers in June-July. It is a semi-hardy perennial plant with a corm which naturalises easily in mild climates and deserves a prominent place in Mediterranean or coastal gardens. It looks stunning in pots or planted densely in flower beds. Its sturdy stems produce abundant, beautiful cut flowers.

Ixias are deciduous perennial plants with corms, native to South Africa. They are close relatives of Garden Iris and belong to the large family of Iridaceae. Ixia Mabel forms a clump of 6 leaves in spring, usually bright green, long and slender, alternate and sword-shaped. Its growth is rapid. The deciduous foliage normally disappears at the end of summer, but can persist in mild climates during winter. The thin and rigid flowering stems reach 80-90 cm (32-35in) high under good conditions and emerge between two fan-shaped leaves in June. Flowering occurs from late June to late August, in the form of spikes with a minimum of 12 flowers, 5 cm (2in) in diameter, in the shape of starry cups with a tubular corolla formed by 6 fused petals. The 'petals' are a very vivid intense pink-purple, slightly lighter in the centre of the petals. This pink is enhanced by a very dark spot in the centre. The brown and fibrous corm (2.5 cm (1in) in diameter) of this plant is semi-hardy, it withstands moderately cold temperatures (between -5°C (23°F) and -10°C (14°F)).

The flowers of Ixia Mabel only open when there is sunlight. They should be planted in sunny borders or meadow-like flower beds, except in southern regions where the sun would scorch them, in light and well-drained soil. They prefer an open, sunny and sheltered location and well-drained, rocky or sandy soils which are moist in spring and autumn and dry in summer. You can plant them directly in pure sand where their hardiness will be even better. Ixias pair well with late-flowering spring bulbs such as giant allium, arum, eremurus and white lilies. In rock gardens, they bring a delicate and brilliant touch with catmints, stipa, and pennisetums. They are perfect plants for containers and pots where you can enjoy their magnificent flowering up close and protect them from severe winter frosts. Finally, they are excellent flowers for cutting.