Babiana

( bab - ee - AHN - uh )

At-A-Glance Information

Commonly called Baboon Flower, these flowering perennials grow from corm and can take full sun to light shade. Babiana needs regular water during growth and blooming periods. Native to Sub-Saharan Africa, these flowers are grown for their beautiful spikes of blooms that are present in mid- to late spring. Leaves are ribbed and hairy growing in a fan-like arrangement. These plants are great candidates for along pathways or for borders.

Babiana Species and Varietals

The genus Babiana is a member of the plant family Iridaceae, making its species relatives of Iris, Saffron, Freesia, and Gladiolus. There are 93 species in the genus. The genus' common name comes from the fact that Baboons love to eat the underground corms of these plants. The best growing zones for these flowers are USDA hardiness zones 8-10 or Sunset growing zones 4-24, though corms can be dug up to overwinter in a protected area in cooler climates. For more information, see the species descriptions below. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.

Babiana ambigua (Babiana obliqua) (Common Bobbejaantijie)
These plants are native to the Western Cape province of South Africa and produces pleated hairy green foliage. Flowers are fragrant and blue to mauve in color, with petals merged into a tube at their base. Bloom time is between July through September in the plant's native range. Individual plants reach up to 2-6 inches tall at maturity, and leaves are longer than flower stalks.

Babiana brachystachys (Needleleaf Bobbejaantjie)
Native to the Northern Cape province of South Africa, these flowers are in bloom between September and October. They reach between 8 and 12 inches tall when in flower, and produce white blossoms that have pink undersides, sometimes with reddish-pink markings on lower petals.

Babiana cinnamomea (Cinnamon Babiana, Babiana Cinnamon, Cinnamon Bobbejaantijie)
These perennial plants reach up to 3 inches tall, and produce pale green-yellow flowers between May and June their native range (Western Cape, South Africa). Leaves are hairless, green and pleated. Flowers are said to smell of Cinnamon.

Babiana hirsuta (Babiana thunbergii) (Red Babiana, Strandlelie, Sandlelie, Rooihanekam, Tall Rat-Tail Bobbejaantjie)
This species can reach up to between 16 and 28 inches tall when in mature and in bloom, and produces many scarlet flowers in a branched inflorescence. Anthers are black to dark purple. The species is endemic to the Northern and Western Cape provinces in South Africa.

Babiana pygmaea (Geelbobbejaantjie, Yellow Babiana, Cream Bobbejaantjie)
Only reaching to about 4 inches tall, these plants produce green lance-shaped leaves and bowl-shaped pale yellow flowers with dark purple-red centers. Although it is one of the smallest species in the genus, it has some of the largest flowers.

Babiana rubrocyanea (Blue-and-Red Babiana, Rooibloubobbejaantjie, Wine-Cup Baboon-Root, Winecup Babiana, Kelkiewynbobbejaantijie)
These perennials reach between 2 and 6 inches tall when in bloom, and produce green foliage. Flowers have purple petals with bright scarlet bases. These plants are grown as garden ornamentals, and are considered threatened in their native landscape due to urban expansion.

Babiana stricta (Baboon Flower, Blue Freesia, Bobbejaanuintjie, Katjetie)
This species produces blue-purple flowers on stalks that typically rise above the foliage. Leaves are green and somewhat strappy. This species does well as a garden ornamental, and is frequently grown as such. Flowers are not fragrant. Individual plants reach up to 10-18 inches tall when mature and in bloom.

Babiana tubiflora (Strandveld Trumpet Bobbejaantijie, Tubiflora Babiana)
These plants reach up to between 3 and 6 inches tall when mature, and are native to the Western Cape province of South Africa. Flowers are in bloom from August to October in the plant's native range and have white petals with bright raspberry-pink heart-shaped markings.

Babiana villosa (Red Babiana, Rooibobbejaantjie)
A perennial plant to 8 inches tall, this species is native to South Africa's Western Cape province. Leaves are green and lance-shaped, and flowers are bright magenta pink, mauve, purple, or scarlet red flowers with black to dark purple anthers. Flowering occurs from August through September in the plant's native range.

Caring for Babiana

Babiana flowers can be purchased as corms, and are also occasionally available as specimens from reputable nurseries. Choose a spot in the landscape that receives full sun exposure to plant Babiana flowers. Ideally, they should be receiving between 6 and 8 hours of direct sun each day for best flowering. Corms should be planted about 4 inches deep and spaced 4-6 inches apart for best coverage and airflow. In warmer zones plant in fall, but in colder areas, put them out when temperatures reach and remain above 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Apply mulch around the planting area; this will increase soil moisture retention, suppress weed growth, and maintain a constant soil temperature. Water new plantings regularly as they develop a strong root system. Mature plants are considered drought tolerant, and will need supplemental waterings only during periods of drought.

Fertilize Babiana plants yearly in early springtime using organic compost, pulling back mulch before applying. Work the compost into the soil, water, and then replace mulch around the base of the plant. These flowers do not need any additional fertilizing. Babiana is a generally hardy plant, but will take damage and may die in very cold climates. After foliage dies back in fall, cut it off. Remove spent flowers to clean up the look of plants and discourage re-seeding. The corms can be left in the ground for several years in milder climate regions, but in areas beyond their hardiness range, overwinter corms indoors or grow them in containers for ease of relocation. Babianas are considered long-lived perennials, and typically live for between 3 and 5 years in the landscape before needing to be replaced.

Growing Babiana in Containers
While Baboon Flower grows well in the ground, it can also be grown in containers, which will allow for gardeners in cooler climates to cultivate these blooms. Choose a pot that is at least a few inches deeper and wider than the nursery pot or root ball. Fill with a well-draining potting mix amended with sand, perlite, and organic matter. Top soil with a layer of mulch, making sure that it does not touch the stems. this will increase soil moisture retention, suppress weed growth, and maintain a constant soil temperature. Water new plantings regularly as they develop a strong root system. Mature plants are considered drought tolerant, and will need supplemental waterings only during periods of drought. As a general rule of thumb, water whenever the top few inches of soil feels dry to the touch. Babianas grown in containers will need more frequent waterings than their in-ground counterparts. Prune to remove dead, damaged, or diseased foliage at any time during the active growing season. Remove spent flowers to clean up the look of plants and discourage re-seeding.

Propagation

Babiana can be propagated either by using cuttings or from seed. To ensure that your propagated plant will have the exact same qualities and characteristics as the parent plant, use the cutting method. If you would like to experiment and see what plant you can grow from seed, just keep in mind that it will not necessarily be the same as the parent plant. To propagate your Babiana flower, follow the instructions below:

Propagating Babiana by Cutting

Gather your materials. You'll need a clean, sanitized, sharp pair of garden shears, rooting hormone, a pencil, and a 3-inch pot filled with well-draining compost or other organic material. A good substrate for propagation of cuttings is a light blend of 1/3 pasteurized soil or compost, 1/3 sand, vermiculite or perlite, and 1/3 coconut coir or peat moss.
In spring or early summertime, choose the plant that you'd like to propagate. Ensure that this plant has had a good watering the night before, as this will improve the chances your cutting will take root. Cut one or more 6 inch portion(s) of the end of a non-blooming branch and strip the leaves off of the lower half. Make a hole in your planting medium by pushing your pencil into the soil. Dip the end of the stem in rooting hormone, and plant it in your pot. Fill in soil around the cutting to support it, but do not pack it down too much.
Moisten with water, and ensure that the pot has good drainage. Your pot should be kept in warm, sunny conditions indoors (and not in direct sunlight). Water whenever your soil is dry under the top layer. After about four to six weeks have passed, your cutting should be rooted. When you notice new growth, you'll know you have roots.
Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring, when you can transplant it to its new home. Ensure that the last frost of the year has occurred before doing this, as it can seriously damage your new plant.

Propagating Babiana by Seed

Keep in mind that the plant you get from seed will not necessarily mimic all of the characteristics of the parent plant. To propagate by seed, you will need a paper bag, a pot or tray filled with well-draining compost or other organic material, a spray bottle and a fork. The best potting medium for seed germination is a light blend of 1/3 pasteurized soil or compost, 1/3 sand, vermiculite or perlite, and 1/3 coconut coir or peat moss.
Harvest your seeds. The seed pods on Babiana plants are left behind after flowers have faded. Once they have dried out and begun to split open, you can harvest the seeds inside. Cut them off of the plant, placing them in a paper bag. Harvest as many as you can, and place the paper bag in a dry, cool, dark area. They will continue to split open and release the seeds contained inside. Once they have been released, take them out of the bag and put them in a container so you can work with them.
Water your prepared seed tray or pot filled with soil, and ensure that good drainage is occurring. Place your seeds in your prepared pot or seed tray about a quarter inch to a half-inch under the soil surface. Cover them with soil and water with your spray bottle. Place your tray of seeds in a warm area that receives bright, indirect light. A greenhouse is the most ideal climate, but a planting tray inside a window will do as well. Germination usually takes 7-14 days from sowing. Once you begin to see seedlings sprout and they are able to be handled, transplant them to their own individual 3-inch pots, filled with the same potting medium as described in Step 1. Loosen the seedlings from the potting medium by digging down with the tines of your fork about an inch and a half, gently working the seedling up until it is out. Then, replant the seedling in its individual pot.
Keep the seedling's potting medium moist, but not wet, by spraying the soil with your spray bottle. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring (after the danger of frost has passed), when you can transplant it to its new home.