Montbretia Crocosmia 'Cornish Copper'

👤 Non-toxic to humans

🐾 Non-toxic to pets

🌸 Blooming

🍪 Not edible

‍🌱 Easy-care

ABOUT

Crocosmia 'Cornish Copper' is an eye-catching perennial plant known for its unique and striking appearance. The distinguishing feature of this variety is its beautiful, trumpet-shaped flowers which exhibit a gradient of warm colors, ranging from a rich, burnt orange to a coppery hue. These flowers are borne on arching stems which create a sense of movement and add a dynamic quality to the plant's structure. The blooms elegantly cascade along the length of the branches and are interspersed with long, blade-like leaves that are a deep green color, providing a lush backdrop for the vivid blossoms. The leaves tend to be upright and sword-shaped, adding a vertical element to the plant's form. This foliage grows in a clumping habit, making the plant appear full and robust. As for its flowering season, Crocosmia 'Cornish Copper' displays its magnificent blooms in the warmer months, providing a long season of interest in the garden. Its flowers are not only visually stunning but are known to attract pollinators like bees and hummingbirds, which adds to the vibrancy and ecological value of the plant when in bloom. Crocosmia 'Cornish Copper' is appreciated by gardeners not only for its ornamental qualities but also for its ability to bring a touch of exotic flair to a garden setting. When planted in groups or borders, its warm-colored flowers create a bold statement and can be used to add depth and contrast to planting designs. This plant can also be a standout addition to cut flower arrangements, where its blossoming stems add height and a splash of color to floral displays.

Plant Info

Care

Common Problems

About this plant

Names
- Synonyms
  Coppertips, Falling Stars, Montbretia
- Common names
  Crocosmia 'Cornish Copper'.
Toxicity
- To humans
  Crocosmia, including the 'Cornish Copper' variety, is not commonly known to be toxic to humans. Typically, there are no severe symptoms associated with ingesting parts of Crocosmia plants, and they are generally considered non-toxic. However, it is always advised to exercise caution and avoid ingesting plants that are not intended for human consumption, as there could be individual allergic reactions or gastrointestinal discomfort for some people.
- To pets
  Crocosmia, including the 'Cornish Copper' variety, is not commonly known to be toxic to pets. There are no widely recognized symptoms of poisoning from Crocosmia in pets as it is generally not considered a toxic plant. Consequently, ingesting parts of Crocosmia is not expected to cause significant harm to pets. However, as with humans, pets should also not be encouraged to eat ornamental plants since they can cause mild gastrointestinal upset in some cases.
Characteristics
- Life cycle
  Perennials
- Foliage type
  Deciduous
- Color of leaves
  Green
- Flower color
  Orange
- Height
  2-3 feet (60-90 cm)
- Spread
  1-2 feet (30-60 cm)
- Plant type
  Bulb
- Hardiness zones
  6
- Native area
  South Africa

Benefits

General Benefits
- Aesthetic Appeal: Adds vibrant colors to the garden with shades of orange and copper flowers.
- Attracts Wildlife: Known to attract pollinators such as bees and hummingbirds, which are beneficial to the ecosystem.
- Easy to Care For: Requires minimal maintenance once established, making it suitable for busy gardeners.
- Drought Tolerance: Once established, it has good drought tolerance, reducing the need for frequent watering.
- Long Blooming Period: Provides a long season of bloom from midsummer to fall, offering sustained garden interest.
- Cut Flower Use: Flowers can be cut and used in bouquets, providing an added benefit from growing the plant.
- Vertical Interest: The tall, arching flower spikes add vertical interest to planting designs and borders.
- Compact Growth Habit: Its clumping, upright form makes it ideal for smaller gardens or containers.
- Deer Resistance: Generally resistant to deer, which can be an important consideration in areas where deer browse.
- Versatility in Landscaping: Suitable for mass plantings, borders, containers, and as an accent plant.
Medical Properties
This plant is not used for medical purposes.
Air-purifying Qualities
This plant is not specifically known for air purifying qualities.
Other Uses
- Crocosmia as a natural dye: The flowers of 'Cornish Copper' may be used to produce a light yellow or rusty dye for coloring fabrics, yarns, or papers.
- Preserved specimens in art: Dried or pressed Crocosmia flowers can be incorporated into mixed media art projects or botanical illustrations for their intricate shapes.
- Photography subject: The vivid blooms of the Crocosmia can serve as an excellent subject for macro and nature photography, lending their rich color and structure to stunning photos.
- Culinary decoration: Though not commonly eaten, the flowers can serve as a non-toxic decorative element on cakes and pastries when properly cleaned and used sparingly.
- Floral crafts: The durable stems and colorful blooms can be used in making floral crowns, wreaths, or other decorative crafts.
- Garden design learning tool: Due to its striking appearance, it can be used in garden design workshops as an example of how to incorporate texture and color in flower beds.
- Eco-friendly confetti: Dried Crocosmia petals can be used as biodegradable confetti for outdoor celebrations to minimize environmental impact.
- Bookmark creation: Pressed Crocosmia flowers can be laminated and used as bookmarks, celebrating natural beauty while encouraging reading.
- Natural pest deterrent: Some gardeners plant Crocosmia as a companion plant since its strong scent can deter certain pests from more susceptible plants.
- Seasonal decorations: Stalks with seed pods or dried flowers can be used in autumn and winter arrangements, adding a unique element to the decor.

Interesting Facts

Feng Shui
The Crocosmia is not used in Feng Shui practice.
Zodiac Sign Compitability
The Crocosmia is not used in astrology practice.
Plant Symbolism
- Passion and Enthusiasm: The fiery hues of Crocosmia flowers often represent strong feelings or a passionate temperament, reflecting their vivid red and orange colors that suggest intensity and emotion.
- Energy and Warmth: Crocosmia, with its warm color palette, is often associated with the sun and its life-giving energy, symbolizing vitality, warmth, and the power of light.
- Confidence and Boldness: The plant's bold and striking appearance can be a symbol of confidence and the courage to stand out, echoing the assertive way it adds color to a garden space.
- Transformation and Renewal: As many plants, Crocosmia can also represent the cycle of life, death, and rebirth through its perennial nature, marking a symbolic connection with transformation and the promise of renewal.
- Attracting Positive Attention: Because of its eye-catching flowers, Crocosmia can symbolize the idea of drawing positive attention or captivating an audience, making it a plant that can be associated with charm and attractiveness.

💧

Every 1-2 weeks

Water

☀️

2500 - 10000 Lux

Light

💦️

Humidity

🪴

Every 3-5 years

Repotting

🌱️

Spring to early summer

Propogation

✂️️

Not needed

Pruning

Water
Montbretia should be watered deeply to saturate the root zone once a week during active growth and blooming, especially in the absence of substantial rainfall. It's important to keep the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged. In general, aim for about 1 gallon of water per plant each week, adjusting for rainfall and temperature, ensuring that the water penetrates the soil to a depth of at least 6 inches. During the winter or when the plant is dormant, reduce watering significantly to prevent root rot.
Light
Montbretia thrives best in full sun conditions, which means it should receive at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight daily. An ideal spot is in a south-facing garden that provides bright and unfiltered sunlight throughout the day. However, in extremely hot climates, a little afternoon shade can help protect the plant from excessive heat.
Temperature
Montbretia prefers temperate climates with ideal temperatures ranging between 60°F and 75°F. It can withstand minimum temperatures down to about 20°F, but prolonged exposure to temperatures below freezing may damage the plant. The upper temperature tolerance is around 90°F, above which the plant may require additional shading or water to remain healthy.
Pruning
Montbretia benefits from pruning to remove spent flowers and to promote more blooms. Deadhead the faded flowers regularly throughout the blooming season. After flowering ends, cut back foliage in the fall or early winter when the leaves begin to yellow. Pruning is typically done once a year, but spent blooms can be removed as needed.
Cleaning
As needed
Soil
Montbretia, commonly known as Crocosmia 'Cornish Copper', thrives in well-draining, fertile soil with a pH range between 6.0 and 6.5. A mix of loam, peat, and sharp sand can ensure proper drainage and fertility, enabling optimal growth and flowering for the plant.
Repotting
Montbretia typically doesn't require frequent repotting as it is more commonly grown outdoors. However, if grown in containers, repot when overcrowded every 2-3 years in the spring.
Humidity & Misting
Montbretia does well in typical outdoor humidity levels and does not require specific humidity conditions when planted in the garden.
Suitable locations
- Indoor
  Ensure bright light, well-draining soil, and keep it warm.
- Outdoor
  Plant in well-draining soil, full sun to partial shade.
- Hardiness zone
  6-9 USDA
Life cycle
Crocosmia 'Cornish Copper', commonly known as Coppertips, begins its life cycle when its corms are planted in well-drained soil with sufficient sunlight, ideally in the spring. The corms sprout and develop into long, sword-shaped leaves, which are followed by the emergence of wiry stems bearing a series of funnel-shaped, orange-copper flowers that attract pollinators like bees and hummingbirds in the mid- to late summer. After flowering, the plant sets seeds that can be dispersed by wind or animals, though Crocosmia primarily propagates through its corms. As the flowering finishes and the seasons change into autumn, the foliage of Crocosmia 'Cornish Copper' begins to die back and the plant enters a period of dormancy during the colder winter months. The plant's corms remain dormant underground until the warmth of the spring stimulates the next growth cycle. To ensure continued vitality and manage overcrowding, the corms may be lifted, divided, and replanted every few years.
Propogation
- Propogation time
  Spring to early summer
- The most popular method of propagating the Crocosmia 'Cornish Copper', commonly known as falling stars or coppertips, is by dividing its corms. The best time to do this is in late winter or early spring when the plant is dormant. To propagate, carefully dig up the clump of corms and gently separate them, making sure each division has at least one growth point. Replant these divisions about 4 inches (10 centimeters) deep and spaced approximately 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 centimeters) apart in well-draining soil. With adequate water and sunlight, these divisions will develop into new, robust plants.