Tritonia

( trye - TOH - nee - uh )

At-A-Glance Information

This genus of perennial flowers, commonly called Flame Freesia, Blazing Star, Lined Tritonia, or Montbretia grows from corm and needs full sun and regular water during growth and blooming periods. They are native to South Africa, and foliage appears in spring, followed by fragrant orange-red flowers. Greenery dies to the ground after blooms fade and returns in the next spring. Varieties include Tritonia crocata miniata (with bright red blooms), 'Princess Beatrix' (which has deep orange flowers), and others that have white, yellow and pink. Flame Freesia grows best in zones 9 and 13-24 (to find your zone, click here: Zone Map). Use Tritonia at the fronts of borders, for naturalizing or mass plantings, on sloped areas, or as members of cut flower gardens.

Caring for Tritonia

Plant corms in well-draining soil 2-3 inches deep and 3 inches apart. Plant them in fall if winter temperatures stay above 20 degrees Fahrenheit, and in spring in cooler areas. They perform best when planted in full sun; ideally, this means they like to get between 6 and 8 hours of sun each day. They can be grown in partial shade, but will not flower as profusely. They prefer soil that is well-draining, moderately fertile, and has a pH of between 6.5 and 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral). 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 layer of mulch around the planting area to suppress weed growth, maintain consistent soil temperatures, and to increase soil moisture retention. Water new plantings regularly as they establish a strong root system in their new home. At maturity, Tritonia flowers are considered quite drought tolerant, with the ability to get by on rainwater for most of the year with supplemental irrigations during extended periods of drought.

Fertilize yearly in early springtime with an 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. Pruning is simple; remove any damaged, diseased, or dead foliage at any time during the growing season, and remove spent flower spikes to neaten up the appearance of plants and encourage reblooms. Allow foliage to die back before removing it at the end of the year. Divide Tritonia during their dormant period when they become overcrowded (every 4-5 years). For instructions on how to successfully divide Tritonia flowers, see the Propagation section below.

Propagation

Tritonia, or Flame Freesia, can be propagated by division or 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, especially if you are propagating a hybrid cultivar. Seed-sown Tritonia takes between 2 and 3 years to reach maturity and begin bloom cycles. To propagate your Flame Freesia, follow the instructions below:

Propagating Tritonia 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. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand. You will also, after a few weeks, need individual 3-inch pots for each seedling that grows.
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.
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 can take up to three months from sowing, so be patient. 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 Tritonia by Division
This type of propagation is relatively simple; you will need a clean shovel, mulch, fresh soil (any kind will do, though it does need to be well-draining), compost and pots (only necessary if you will be saving divided plants for transporting elsewhere). Division is best done in very early spring (after the plant has entered dormancy, but before it has begun its new spring growth), and needs to be done every few years regardless of whether you have the goal of propagating the plants for best performance. 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 gloved 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.