Mexican Irid

[Maggi Young]

Orthrosanthus chimboracensis ex Chiapas, Mexico, Iridaceae  "delicate blue flowers appear and disappear daily" writes Jacob  Uluwehi Knecht on twitter

http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/Orthrosanthus

[Lesley Cox]

I've grown this one and another called O. laxus. They are lovely plants and flower for ages in a warm, sunny place. Seed is usually on the seedlists. Why did I think they were Australian?

[fermi de Sousa]

Hi Lesley,
Orthrosanthus laxus is Australian but I think the genus is spread from South Africa to South America (and Mexico?) Australia to Central America (I was thinking of Aristea which is in South Africa)
cheers
fermi

[Lesley Cox]

Thanks for that Fermi. I wonder if some of mine were incorrectly named? I had one called multiflorus too, as well as laxus and chimboracensis but all looked just the same, except one, can't remember which, was a little paler blue.

[Brian Ellis]

Well it is delightful, delicate flowers contrasting with the dark red stem.  Will look out for it next year.

[Robert]

Orthrosanthus chimboracensis grows for us in the Sacramento Valley but, so far, seems a bit tender up at the farm.

Seed is available from Ginny Hunt = Seedhunt.