Baboon Root
Babiana plicata

Family: Iridaceae

What it is like

Babiana plicata is a CORM growing to 0.2 m (0ft 8in) by 0.1 m (0ft 4in). See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 9. It is in flower from May to June. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Insects. Suitable for: light (sandy) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil.

Height (m): 0.2

Where it is found

Sandy soils on flat land and mountain sides.

S. Africa.

Conservation Status:

Countries/locations it is found in

How it is used

Food

Rating: 1

Corm - boiled. It is 2 - 3cm in diameter.

Root: includes bulbs, corms, tubers, rhizomes etc.

Medicine

Rating: 0

Other

Rating:

Scented Plants: Plants noted for their scent

How it is grown

An easily grown plant, it requires a warm, sunny, sheltered position in a well-drained light sandy soil. Plants are only reliably hardy in the milder areas of Britain and are best cultivated in pots in a cold greenhouse in most parts of the country. They tolerate temperatures down to about -5°c. Plant the corms 20 - 25cm deep. If necessary, the corms can be lifted after the plant dies down in the autumn and stored overwinter in a dry frost-free place, replanting them in the spring. If the plants are to be left in the ground over the winter then it is best to give them a protective mulch of bracken or some similar material. The growing plant resents root disturbance.

Propagating it: Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cool greenhouse, it will germinate in the spring. The seed can also be sown in a warm greenhouse at most times of the year. It usually germinates within 4 - 8 weeks at 20°c. Give young seedlings as much light as possible. Sow the seed thinly so that it does not need to be thinned and grow the young plants on for their first year without disturbance. Give an occasional liquid feed to ensure that they do not become nutrient deficient. Pot the small bulbs up when they are dormant, placing 2 - 3 bulbs in each pot, and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least the next year. Plant them out into their permanent positions when the plants are dormant in the autumn. Division of offsets when the plant is dormant in the autumn. They are freely produced. The offsets can be planted direct into their permanent positions if required.

Best place to grow: Cultivated Beds; South Wall. By. West Wall. By.

Habit: Corm

Hardiness: 8-11

Growth:

Soil: Light (sandy)

Shade: No shade

Moisture: Dry, moist

Things to keep in mind

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

B. caerulescens. B. reflexa.