Herbertia Sweet is a small genus of bulbous plants in the Iridaceae family that come from parts of Texas, the South Eastern United States, and South America (Chile, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Brazil.) . They have short-lived iris-shaped blue or violet flowers with three large outer obovate tepals and three comparatively much smaller oblanceolate inner ones. The staminal column is narrower above and they have linear anthers and a bifid style. They are related to Alophia, Cypella, and Tigridia. These bulbs are of easy culture and should be hardy to USDA Zone 8.
Herbertia amatorum (C.H. Wright) Goldblatt is now considered to be Herbertia pulchella.
Herbertia crosae Roitman et Castillo, a recently described species that inhabits stony grasslands in Uruguay. Photo by Germán Roitman. Here is the link to the 2004 Brittonia article where it is described.
Herbertia lahue (Molina) Goldblatt has three sub species. Two of the subspecies are from dry areas in Chile and Argentina and bloom in the spring. It prefers full sun, neutral to alkaline well drained soils and is dormant in summer. This species is often offered in seed exchanges under the wrong name (as Alophia drummondii and Herbertia pulchella for example.) It blooms into summer so even though the flowers only are open for a day, new ones appear over a long time. Here are pictures of two I've grown from seed that although they are slightly different are probably the same species. I'm not sure which subspecies. Photos 1-2 by Mary Sue Ittner. Photos 3-4 were taken by Justin Smith showing a hover fly visiting the flowers for nectar and tasting the pollen. It is most likely a pollinator for this species.
Herbertia lahue ssp. caerulea (Herb.) Goldblatt occurs in the heavy soils of coastal prairies in Louisiana and Texas and has lavender-blue flowers with deeper violet blotches near the bases of the petals. The flowers, although quite beautiful, only last for a few hours before shriveling. Once it has set seed it goes dormant. Photo by Bill Dijk.
Herbertia pulchella Sweet is from Uruguay and Southern Brazil. This is a winter growing species that flowers in spring. The flowers have a white stripe that runs down each blue petal. The bulbs prefer not to dry out completely in summer since it comes from an area with year round rains. It needs full sun, and acid soils and probably not very cold temperatures. Seeds from seed exchanges labeled as this species are often really Herbertia lahue. Photos by Dirk Wallace and Bill Dijk including a nice dark blue form.
Herbertia quareimana inhabits stony grasslands in Uruguay and Brazil. Although it inhabits places very near the border with Argentina, it has never been found in this country. Photos by Germán Roitman and Bill Dijk
Herbertia tigridioides (Hicken) Goldblatt inhabits humid places in mountains in the northwest of Argentina and Bolivia. The plant resembles an Herbertia lahue, but plants are taller and the color is different. Photo by Germán Roitman.
