The fragrance of freesia flowers, often referred to as “the scent of heaven,” is part of every spring, and regarded as perfect for ceremonies. The sight of a bouquet of white freesias brings a bride in mind, and mixed color bouquets are perfect for bridesmaids and flower girls.
About Freesias
Freesias are perennial plants belonging to the Iridaceae family. The Freesia is a native plant of South Africa which was named after the botanist Friedrich Freese around 1830.
Freesia plants grow long stems (up to 40cm) that hold their showy inflorescences made up of spikes of several fragrant flowers together with many leaves. Freesia’s floral display is called a comb, because of all the buds that are lined up neatly.
Flowers can be single or double colored, occurring in shades of white, yellow, orange, red, blue, pink and purple.
| Scientific name | Freesia spp |
| Common name | Freesia |
| Family | Iridaceae |
| Plant type | Perennial |
| Mature plant size | 20-40cm tall, 20-30cm wide |
| Soil pH | Neutral |
| Light/Sun exposure | Full sun |
| Hardiness zones | USDA zones 9-10 |
| Bloom time | Spring to summer |
| Leaf color | Green |
| Flower color | white, yellow, red, orange, blue, pink and purple |
| Native area | South Africa |
When to plant Freesias
Plant Freesias between February to May. Early planting will allow corms to establish, but will not result into early flowering, as soil temperatures must fall below 170C before corms produce flowers, which happens around late autumn.
Purchasing corms
Select corms from a reputable supplier to avoid issues with diseases and flower quality. Select larger sized corms as these will produce more stems and flowers.
Site preparation and planting
Till the soil and ensure that it is free of clods and big stones.
Add 2 to 4 inch layer of organic manure inform of dry leaves, compost, animal manure or peat.
Dig holes that are 8cm deep and plant your corms, then cover with soil and water lightly.
Ensure that corms are planted closely, not more than 1.5 inches apart.
Water sparingly until the plants sprout. Freesias will take about 100 to 120 days to bloom from planting time.
For continuous blooming through the summer, plant your corms in succession, with 7 to 14 days interval between plantings.
How to Care for Freesia plants
-Continue to water plants to ensure that the soil is moist, but do not over water to avoid water logging.
-Ensure plants get enough aeration to avoid disease spread.
-When shoots emerge, fertilize with NPK fertilizer to boost growth.
Care for Freesias after flowering
For proper blooming next year, ensure that you take good care of the corms after flowering by giving them a boost using fertiliser and continuing with watering in case your area is short of rainfall.
Ensure that the leaves stay green for as long as possible so that the corms make more growth.
Digging up corms
In case you want to dig up corms to split them, do this in December/January when the corms are dormant.
After splitting, dry them and store in a cool dry place until the next planting time in autumn.
Harvesting flowers
Cut freesia stems when the first floret is puffy and almost open and two other flower buds are in good color.
Cut flowers should immediately be put in a vase with fresh water and floral preservative for longer storage.
Do not store cut freesias near fruits or vegetables, as they are ethylene sensitive.
Pests and diseases
Thrips and aphids are the most common pests which can be controlled by physical removal from plants.
Diseases include Fusarium wilt and Botyris blight.
