The "Lucifer flower" is the popular name for Crocosmia 'Lucifer', a vibrant perennial known for its fiery red, tubular blossoms on tall, arching stems, resembling a tropical flare in the garden from mid-to-late summer. It features sword-like foliage and is a hardy, low-maintenance choice for full sun, attracting pollinators and making excellent cut flowers, while being relatively non-invasive compared to other crocosmias.
Some crocosmias can become invasive. Common montbretia (Crocosmia × crocosmiiflora) has 'escaped' from gardens into the wild, where it can crowd out more delicate native species. So it's best not to grow it if your garden adjoins open countryside. To avoid spreading it in your garden, don't compost unwanted plants.
In the language of flowers, Giant montbretia is primarily known to symbolize friendship and warmth. This association comes from its fiery red blossoms, which evoke feelings of passion, joy, and welcoming energy.
Flowers: Crocosmia blooms from mid-summer through mid-fall, producing clusters of tubular flowers along the top side of the long, arching stems. Flower colors range from fiery red and orange to golden yellow, earning it the common names “montbretia” and “fire lily”.
Botanical facts: The name is from the Greek word krokos for saffron and osme for smell. Dried crocosmia blossoms have the fragrance of saffron.
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The Star of Bethlehem flower, scientifically known as Ornithogalum umbellatum, is often associated with the birth of Jesus.
Carnation (red) - Deep love & affection. Carnation (pink) - I'll never forget you.
Many people use the term Crocosmia to describe Montbretia. However, 'Crocosmia' is actually the genus in which the hybrid plant montbretia is included in. There are in fact 8 wild species of crocosmia and upwards of 400 known cultivars! So strictly speaking, no, montbretia and crocosmia are not the same.
Crocosmia, which is sometimes called montbretia or coppertips, is a popular plant with hummingbirds, in addition to other pollinators. Grow these triple threat plants for bees, butterflies and birds to visit. The flowers also attract butterflies like this American copper.
The longevity of the sacred lotus, along with its beautiful flowers, see it featured heavily in religious art, especially across Asia. Hinduism and Buddhism both feature the lotus as a symbol for divinity, immortality and purity.
Based on this winter solstice link, the "History of Religions hypothesis" or "Substitution theory" proposes the Church chose 25 December as the birthday of Jesus (dies Natalis Christi) to appropriate the Roman festival of the birthday of the Invincible Sun (dies Natalis Solis Invicti), held on the same date.
Lavender, heather, St. John's Wort, marigolds, garlic mustard, and foxglove, jasmine are just a few examples of flowers that have been believed to possess protective qualities, especially in warding off evil spirits and negative forces.
Hydrangeas. Hydrangeas are not only a striking addition to any floral arrangement, they also symbolise happiness, gratitude and luck. Purple hydrangeas, in particular, are thought to be extra-lucky, promoting wealth, abundance, and prosperity.
The name Hibiscus came from the Greek word “hibiskos” that meant “marshmallow.” The sticky root or stem of some plant in the mallow family was used at one time to make marshmallow confections. Some common names for hibiscus plants include hardy hibiscus, rose of Sharon, rose mallow, swamp mallow, and tropical hibiscus.
In the most common version of the story, the human youth Crocus had an affair with a nymph called Smilax. For whatever reason, he became unhappy with the relationship and the gods turned him into a plant. (This idea of gods turning people into plants seems pretty common – see my article on roses for more examples).
Crocosmia (/krəˈkɒzmiə, kroʊ-/), also known as montbretia (/mɒnˈbriːʃə/), is a small genus of flowering plants in the iris family, Iridaceae. It is native to the grasslands of southern and eastern Africa, ranging from South Africa to Sudan.
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