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Ixia Elvira

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Introduce elegance to your garden with Ixia Elvira (Ixia hybrid), a hardy corm perennial that enchants gardens with dainty splashes of ice baby blue to duck egg-coloured blooms. Each starry flower displays a dark centre encircled by a bright yellow ring, framed by a final band of deep blue. Blooming from late spring to early summer, Ixia Elvira is ideal for garden beds, borders, containers, and naturalising areas to create a lasting, low-maintenance display. Thriving in well-drained soil and full sun, it adapts beautifully to various climates, flourishing in both warmer and cooler regions. These exquisite blooms attract pollinators and make stunning cut flowers, lasting up to two weeks indoors. Add the unique charm of Ixia Elvira to your garden for a truly sophisticated display.

SKU: TCIXIELV002 Category: Tags: ,

Description

Ixia Elvira
Ixia Elvira, (Ixia hybrid), also known as Corn Lilies or Wand Flowers, brings striking colour and easy care to any garden. This hardy corm perennial, part of the Iridaceae family, is well-suited to a variety of climates, with a particular affinity for warmer regions where it truly thrives. Ixia Elvira produces fine, grassy foliage that supports arching stems topped with star-shaped flowers in vivid blue hues, often with a contrasting dark centre. A fantastic choice for gardeners looking to add a bold and cheerful touch to their landscape.

Bloom Time and Placement
Blooming from late spring to early summer, Ixia bridges the seasonal transition from spring bulbs to summer perennials, extending your garden’s colour display. This resilient plant prefers well-drained soil and full sun but can tolerate light shade. It thrives with regular watering during growth and, as a drought-tolerant plant post-bloom, is perfect for low-maintenance gardens or sunny, dry spots.

Garden and Indoor Uses
The vibrant blooms of Ixia add beauty to both outdoor and indoor settings:

  • Garden Beds & Borders: Place at the front of beds or borders for a striking impact, especially in clumps for a cheerful display.
  • Pots & Containers: Ideal for patios or balconies, Ixia thrives in containers with proper drainage and sunlight.
  • Cut Flowers: With long-lasting blooms and sturdy stems, Ixia makes a wonderful addition to floral arrangements.
  • Rock & Dry Gardens: Perfect for rockeries and sunny, dry areas, Ixia brings resilience and charm to the landscape.

Climate Adaptability
Ixia thrives across a range of climates, from cool to subtropical, adapting beautifully to diverse conditions. While it flourishes in warmer, drier climates, Ixia tolerates temperatures to 0°C, making it well-suited to cooler areas. It can also be grown in subtropical regions, making it a versatile choice across Australia.

Care and Planting Tips
Ixia is low maintenance but benefits from some simple care:

  • Soil: Use well-draining soil, enriched with compost.
  • Watering: Water thoroughly after planting; keep soil lightly moist during growth. Reduce watering post-bloom to allow dormancy.
  • Fertilising: Apply a general purpose fertiliser as growth begins. For containers, top-dress during blooming.

When and How to Plant Ixia
Plant corms in autumn, placing them 5 cm deep and 5-10 cm apart. This timing allows roots to establish as temperatures cool, giving plants a strong start ahead of their late spring to early summer bloom. Aim to complete planting by the end of autumn to ensure robust root growth across various Australian climates.

Aftercare and Division
After blooming, allow foliage to die back naturally to store energy in the corms for the next season. In cool to arid regions, corms can generally be left undisturbed in the ground or containers for years, forming beautiful clumps. If clumps become too dense, lift and divide them once the foliage dies back, then replant. Gardeners in very wet, humid, or hot summers should lift and store corms to prevent rot.

Ixia Pests and Diseases
Generally resilient, Ixia may occasionally face pests like slugs, snails, and aphids, which can be managed with natural deterrents or mild insecticidal soap. Corm rot can occur in poorly draining soil so, plant in well-draining soil and avoid watering during dormancy, except for light watering in very hot, dry conditions. Powdery mildew is rare but may develop in humid areas; prevent it with good air circulation and natural fungicides if needed.

Plant Safety Considerations
Ixia isn’t known to be toxic, but caution around ornamental plants is wise. Although rare, some plants in the Iridaceae family may cause mild digestive upset if ingested. Ixia is not a known skin irritant; however, for those with sensitive skin, wearing gloves when handling the plant may offer added comfort. Keep Ixia out of reach of young children and pets. If any part of the plant is ingested and symptoms like nausea or vomiting occur, seek medical advice or consult a veterinarian.

Supplied as dormant corms.

Additional information

Price Code

E – Green Pack
Botanical Name

Ixia hybrid
Quantity in Pack

2 Bulbs
Flowering Time

Late Spring, Early Summer
Planting Time

Plant from March onwards
Growing Height

60-90 cm
Planting Depth

5 cm
Soil

Ixia thrives best in well-draining soil. Before planting, enrich the soil with well-decomposed animal manure or compost. If drainage is an issue, add a layer of sand beneath the corms to improve it.

For pots, use a high-quality, well-draining potting mix, and consider mixing in sand or perlite to enhance drainage. Adding compost or organic matter will further support healthy root growth.
How to Plant

Select a full sun position or a spot with light shade. Loosen the soil to about 20 cm deep, enriching it with well-broken-down animal manure or compost for improved structure. If the soil doesn’t drain well, sprinkle a layer of sand under the corms to aid drainage. Plant Ixia corms about 5 cm deep and spaced 5-10 cm apart, with the pointed end facing up.

For lawns, place 3-5 corms in each hole and space the clusters 5-10 cm apart for a naturalised effect, allowing room for growth and air circulation.

In pots, use a high-quality, well-draining potting mix; if it doesn’t already contain compost or organic matter, add some to support root growth. Also, mix in sand or perlite to enhance drainage if needed.
Ensure containers have adequate drainage holes, and plant corms 5 cm deep, spaced 5-10 cm apart within the confined space. After planting, water thoroughly to settle the corms. While mulching is generally not necessary, a light layer can help retain moisture in warm conditions or provide extra insulation in cooler climates.
Watering

Thoroughly water the soil after planting to settle the corms. Once growth appears, keep the soil consistently but lightly moist throughout the growing and blooming phase, allowing the top inch of soil to dry between waterings to avoid waterlogging. After flowering, let the soil gradually dry out, as Ixia prefers drier conditions during dormancy.
Fertilise

Once new growth begins to appear, apply a general purpose fertiliser to support the plant's development and encourage healthy blooms. After this initial feeding, Ixia typically does not require further fertiliser for the remainder of the season.
Pruning

Ixia doesn’t require traditional pruning, but handling its foliage after flowering is essential for future blooms. Allow foliage to die back naturally and trim only once fully yellowed and dried, as this process lets the corms store energy for the next season. For ground-planted Ixia in humid or wet summer areas, lift and store corms in a cool, dry place to prevent rot. In pots, follow the same process and consider moving containers to a sheltered spot. Over time, clumps may form and can be divided every four to five years. After division, replant in enriched, well-draining soil or store in a cool, dry, ventilated place until replanting in autumn.
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