Ixia

( IKS - ee - ah )

At-A-Glance Information

Commonly known as African Corn Lily, Cornflower or Wand Flower, this genus of perennials includes species that grow from corms or bulbs and send up spikes of up to 20 flowers in varying colors. The blooms open in sunlight but will close up in cloudy weather. Blooms can come in hues of cream, yellow, red, orange or pink and commonly have dark centers. Flowering stems reach 18-20 inches tall. Use these flowers in mixed beds and borders, as members of cut flower gardens, or as specimens in the landscape. They will also naturalize in meadows and can be used as no-traffic groundcover. Although these plants are commonly called Lilies, they are safe to grow around humans and pets.

Ixia species and varietals

The genus Ixia is a member of the plant family Iridaceae and includes 100 species. Plants in the genus are close relatives of other popular bulbs like Freesia, Gladiolus, Sparaxis, Tritonia, Babiana, and Crocosmia. Ixia grows best in USDA hardiness zones 6-10 or Sunset growing zones 7-9 and 12-24, though this varies somewhat depending on the species cultivated. For more information, see the species descriptions below. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.

Ixia spp. Hybrids (Hybrid African Corn Lily, Hybrid Wand Flower)
This group of Ixia plants are bred and cultivated for their variously-colored blooms, and are commonly used for cut flowers. Cultivars are listed below:

'Hogarth'

'Marquette'

'Panorama'

'Rose Emperor'

'Spotlight'

'Venus'

Ixia maculata (Spotted African Corn Lily, Corn Lily, Corn Bells, Yellow Ixia, Wandflower)
This species is native to South Africa and is widely grown as a garden ornamental around the world. They thrive in USDA hardiness zones 8-10. Plants form dense inflorescences that hold up to 12 orange to yellow flowers with dark centers. Blooms will sometimes have areas with purple or red spotting. Individual plants can reach up to 20 inches tall when mature and in bloom. This species is considered invasive in southern Australia and regions of California.

Ixia monadelpha (Pied Kalossie, Bontkalossie)
This endangered species is native to the southwestern Cape of South Africa, where it thrives in wet, sandy flat landscapes. These plants reach between 6 and 16 inches tall when mature and in bloom. Flowers are typically greyish blue to white with golden-yellow flushing towards the base of each petal. Leaves are sword-shaped and loosely twisted.

Ixia polystachya (White-and-Yellow-Flower Corn Lily, African Corn Lily, Corn Lily, Variable Ixia)
This species is found on hills and in sloped areas in the western Cape of South Africa and grows well in USDA hardiness zones 8-10. Flowers are white, and are marked with various shades of green to blue towards their centers. This species of Corn Lily is considered invasive in southern Australia and regions of California.

Ixia viridiflora (Turquoise Ixia, Green Ixia, Green-Flowered Corn Lily, Green Kalossie)
This species is a taller member of the genus, and is considered endangered. Its native population suffers from habitat loss due to human development and overharvesting. Flowers are turquoise, which is a very rare color for flowers, and have purple-black centers. They do well cultivated as ornamentals, but are difficult to find due to their conservation status. This species grows well in USDA hardiness zones 9-11.

Caring for Ixia

Ixia corms can be planted in early fall in mild-winter areas 2 inches deep and three inches apart. In cooler areas, wait until late fall to plant, and bury them 4 inches deep. Corms can also be planted in spring, and should be spaced between 2 and 3 inches apart for best coverage and airflow. Ensure that soil is well-draining, moderately fertile, and has a pH of between 6.0 and 7.0. If local soils are particularly poor in nutrients or do not drain well, make sure to amend the planting area with plenty of organic compost before installing. Apply a thick layer of mulch around the planting area to suppress weed growth, maintain soil temperatures, and increase soil moisture retention. Water newly planted Ixia regularly to help it develop a strong root system. At maturity, these plants are considered to be drought-tolerant, able to get by on rainwater alone with some supplemental waterings in the warmest months of the year. Make sure to keep soil relatively moist during the active growing and flowering seasons. Soil should be allowed to dry out when leaves turn yellow after blooms fade, as plants are dormant during this time.

Fertilize yearly in early springtime with a application of 2 inches of compost around the base of plants. Pull mulch back before applying, work the compost gently into the soil a bit, water it in, and then replace mulch. These plants are not heavy feeders, and this should be sufficient to provide the necessary nutrients for the active growing and flowering seasons. Ixia plants don't require regular pruning. To discourage reseeding and to neaten up plants, spent blooms can be deadheaded. After leaves turn yellow and fade, they can be cut back. When corms become too overcrowded to perform at their peak, dig and divide. If your area receives summer moisture, dig and store corms. For instructions on how to dig up and divide Ixia plants, see the Propagation section below. Individual Ixia bulbs persist for between 3 and 5 years before they exhaust their stored resources, but will produce offsets that allow plant colonies to perpetuate themselves indefinitely.

Growing Ixia in Containers
Ixia flowers are wonderful accents when cultivated in the ground, but they can also be grown in containers. In pots, corms can be planted close together about an inch under the soil surface. Ensure that containers are at least a foot wide and deep. Adequate drainage holes are critical to have; excess water should be allowed to flow away from the root zone. Potting soil should be well-draining or amended with sand or perlite to make it so. Water these flowers so that the soil stays moist during their periods of active growth and blooming, and withhold water when corms are dormant. Ixia plants grown in containers will need more frequent irrigation than those grown in the ground, and will also need to be divided more often than their in-ground counterparts; every two years on average. For instructions on how to successfully divide Ixias, see the Propagation section below.

Harvesting Ixia
Ixias make handsome cut flowers, adding color and fragrance to bouquets and arrangements. Flowers emit a light, subtle, and sweet floral fragrance. They are typically in season from the middle of spring through early summertime. Harvest flowering stems when they the lowest 1 or 2 florets on the spike open and show color, and upper buds are still swelling. The best time of day to harvest cut flowers is in the morning, after dew has dried but before the heat of the day sets in. Make a cut at the base of the flowering stem and drop it into a bucket of cool water. Ixia cut flowers have a vase life of between 5 and 7 days.

Propagation

Ixia, or Wandflower, can be propagated either by division or from seed. To ensure that your propagated plant will have the exact same qualities and characteristics as the parent plant, use the division 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 African Corn Lilies, follow the instructions below:

Propagating Ixia 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 heads on plants are pretty easy to spot, they're 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.
In either late winter or early springtime, get your container prepared. 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 2-6 weeks 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 65 and 72 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.

Propagating Ixia by Division
This type of propagation is relatively simple; you will need a clean shovel, mulch, fresh soil, compost and pots (only necessary if you will be saving divided plants for transporting elsewhere). Division is best done in very early spring, and should be done every few years regardless to maintain the health of clumps. To propagate by division, follow these steps:

Using a shovel, dig up your existing plant. Start from the outside and work your way in to avoid damaging the root(s). Once you have worked it up out of the ground, lay it out.
Start to tease apart the roots with your fingers. Once the roots are untangled, separate your plant into segments, ensuring that each one has at least one thick root section attached.
Prepare your pot(s) or new planting site(s) with amended, well-draining soil. You can either bring in new soil or simply amend your existing soil with compost to complete this task. Then, plant your divisions and water thoroughly.
Apply a thick layer of mulch over the new planting to protect it from cold weather as it acclimates to its new home. Then, enjoy watching it sprout in the next growing season.

Ixia seeds are held in pods that remain on plants after the flowers have faded.

Ixia bulbs that are just beginning to sprout.

Problems and Pests

Certain species are considered invasive in some regions; see the species descriptions above for more information. Check with local authorities before planting. Ixia plants can suffer from issues with the following pests and diseases in the landscape, though they are typically considered quite resilient as garden ornamentals.