Mont bretia 'Burford Bronze' Crocosmia × crocosmiiflora 'Burford Bronze'
ABOUT
'Burford Bronze' is a clump-forming, cormous perennial to about 90cm with bronze, strap-like foliage. Sprays of rich yellow flowers open from orangey buds in late summer
About this plant
NamesFamily
Iridaceae
Synonyms
Montbretia, Coppertips, Falling Stars
Common names
Montbretia 'Burford Bronze', Tritonia × crocosmiiflora 'Burford Bronze'.
CharacteristicsLife cycle
Perennials
Foliage type
Deciduous
Color of leaves
Green
Flower color
Orange
Height
2-3 feet (0.6-0.9 meters)
Spread
1-2 feet (0.3-0.6 meters)
Plant type
Bulb
Hardiness zones
5-9
Native area
South Africa
Benefits
General Benefits- Attracts pollinators: Crocosmia 'Burford Bronze' produces vibrant flowers that are attractive to bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, encouraging biodiversity in the garden.
- Easy maintenance: This plant is known for being low maintenance, requiring minimal care once established, making it a great choice for both new and experienced gardeners.
- Drought resistant: Once established, it is relatively drought-tolerant, reducing the need for regular watering and making it suitable for xeriscaping.
- Long blooming period: It offers a long season of color in the garden, with blooms typically lasting from mid-summer to early fall.
- Architectural interest: The sword-like foliage and arching flower stems provide an interesting vertical element to garden designs.
- Cut flower use: The blooms are long-lasting when cut, making them excellent for use in floral arrangements.
- Disease and pest resistance: This hybrid tends to be resistant to many common garden pests and diseases, keeping maintenance requirements low.
- Versatility in landscaping: It can be planted in borders, containers, or as part of a perennial garden, giving it versatility in landscape design.
- Vivid color display: The 'Burford Bronze' variety offers striking bronze-tinted foliage and deep orange-red flowers, enhancing the visual appeal of garden spaces.
- Erosion control: The plant's clumping growth habit can help with erosion control on sloped areas of the garden.
Medical PropertiesThis plant is not used for medical purposes.
Air-purifying QualitiesThis plant is not specifically known for air purifying qualities.
Other Uses- Crocosmia can be used in floral arrangements to provide a striking bronze color and unique texture, making them ideal for contemporary design themes.
- The plant can serve as a natural barrier when planted en masse due to its dense growth habit, deterring small animals from entering certain garden areas.
- Dried Crocosmia seed pods can be used in crafting activities, such as making jewelry or decorative pieces, due to their distinctive shape and durability.
- The sturdy stems of Crocosmia can be used in children’s outdoor play for creating small structures, such as fairy houses or miniature gardens.
- The tall and colorful flowers can be planted to add vertical interest in staggered garden designs or on slopes for erosion control.
- Crocosmia 'Burford Bronze' blooms can be used as a natural dye source, providing hues of yellow, orange, and bronze to fabrics or papers.
- The plant can also provide educational opportunities in botanical gardens or schools, where students can learn about hybridization and plant breeding.
- Crocosmia can be strategically placed in gardens to attract hummingbirds and beneficial insects, helping to pollinate nearby plants.
- The fiery colors of the flowers can be used in thematic gardens, such as a 'hot' color garden, to maintain a particular aesthetic throughout the growing season.
- Photographers may utilize Crocosmia as a striking backdrop or as a subject in botanical photography due to its vibrant flowers and photogenic qualities.
Interesting Facts
Feng ShuiThe Montbretia is not used in Feng Shui practice.
Zodiac Sign CompitabilityThe Montbretia is not used in astrology practice.
Plant Symbolism- Passion: The fiery red to orange hues of the Montbretia flowers are often associated with strong emotions and passion, reflecting the intensity of feelings.
- Energy: Montbretia's vibrant colors evoke a sense of energy and vitality, symbolizing an active spirit and zest for life.
- Warmth: The warm tones of the Montbretia blossoms represent comfort, friendliness, and hospitality, akin to the warmth of a welcoming home or the hearth.
- Endurance: Montbretia is known for its ability to thrive in tough conditions, making it a symbol of strength and the endurance to overcome challenges.
WaterMontbretia 'Burford Bronze' should be watered deeply once a week, providing about 1 to 1.5 gallons of water for each plant to encourage deep root growth. In particularly hot or dry conditions, the frequency may need to increase to twice a week. Ensure the soil is well-draining to prevent waterlogging. During the dormant winter period, reduce watering significantly, allowing the soil to dry out before watering lightly to prevent the corms from drying out completely.
LightMontbretia 'Burford Bronze' thrives best in full sun to partial shade. Ideally, it should receive at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day, which encourages vigorous growth and optimal blooming. Dappled sunlight is also acceptable, especially in areas with extremely hot afternoon sun.
TemperatureMontbretia 'Burford Bronze' prefers moderate temperatures and can tolerate a minimum temperature of around 20°F. They thrive in a temperature range of 60°F to 80°F during the growing season. When temperatures start to fall below this range, especially approaching freezing, it's important to protect the corms with mulch or consider lifting them in areas where the ground freezes.
PruningPruning Montbretia 'Burford Bronze' is mainly about removing spent flower stems and dead foliage to maintain plant health and appearance. After blooming, cut the flower stalks back to the ground. In late fall or early winter, remove any dead or damaged leaves. Pruning is also a good time to divide congested clumps, best done every 3-4 years.
CleaningAs needed
SoilMontbretia 'Burford Bronze' thrives best in a well-drained, fertile loam with a pH range of 6.0 to 6.5. A mix of two parts loam, one part peat or compost, and one part sharp sand or perlite would be ideal to ensure adequate drainage and fertility.
RepottingMontbretia 'Burford Bronze' should be repotted every 2-3 years to refresh the soil and accommodate growth. This cycle encourages healthy root systems and plentiful blooms.
Humidity & MistingMontbretia 'Burford Bronze' prefers moderate humidity levels but is quite adaptable and does not require specific humidity adjustments in outdoor garden settings.
Suitable locationsIndoor
Ensure bright light, well-draining soil, and moderate watering.
Outdoor
Plant in full sun to partial shade, well-draining soil, and water regularly.
Hardiness zone
5-9 USDA.
Life cycleCrocosmia 'Burford Bronze', also known as montbretia, begins its life when corms (bulb-like storage organs) are planted in well-drained soil in spring. The plant sprouts and develops sword-shaped leaves, and flowering stems emerge as the weather warms. Vibrant reddish-bronze flowers bloom in mid to late summer, attracting pollinators like hummingbirds and bees. After pollination, the flowers give way to seed capsules, but propagation is typically more successful through division of corms. As autumn approaches, the foliage dies back; the corms enter a period of dormancy over the winter. In the following spring, the cycle restarts as new shoots arise from the corms, continuing the perennial growth cycle of the plant.
PropogationPropogation time
Late spring
Propogation: Crocosmia × crocosmiiflora 'Burford Bronze', commonly known as Montbretia, is mainly propagated through division. The best time to propagate Montbretia is in the spring after the last frost has passed or in early fall. To propagate through division, gardeners should carefully lift the clumps of corms from the ground using a spade, ensuring not to damage the corms. The clumps should then be gently broken apart to separate the individual corms. Gardeners should look for corms that have at least one growing point or eye. The separated corms can be immediately replanted in well-draining soil at a depth of about 3 to 5 inches (approximately 7.5 to 12.5 centimeters), spaced around 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 centimeters) apart to allow for growth. Watering the newly planted corms will help them establish.
