Ixia is a genus in the Iridaceae family with 50 species mainly from the western, southwestern, and southern winter-rainfall areas of the northern, western and eastern Cape Provinces of South Africa. Information and photographs illustrating Ixia P-Z can be found on this page.
Ixia paniculata is found on moist sandy slopes and flats in the northwest and the southwest Cape. It has large cream to biscuit flowers that are often reddish on the outside and in the throat. This species is distinguished by having the longest tube in the genus. The photos below were taken by Mary Sue Ittner . A stray Triteleia laxa has found its way into the pot in the first picture. The second picture illustrates the very long tube and the third shows the corms.
Ixia polystachya is found on flats, hills and mountain slopes over a wide range of the northwest and southwest Cape. It has pink, mauve, bluish, or white flowers, often, but not always with a dark center. It has a fairly tall and usually branched stem, but is variable in size, color, number of flowers, form (compact or lax), and leaf width. Photos taken by Mary Sue Ittner.
Ixia polystachya var. crassifolia is a form from the western Cape with blue to mauve or purple flowers with a dark blue or purple center. Leaves of this variety are firm with a prominent midrib and margins.
Ixia rapunculoides is found on mostly clay soils in renosterveld or karroid scrub in the Cape Province. It has pale blue, mauve, pink , purple or white flowers with 4 or more branches on the flowering stem. It is one of the first Ixias of the ones I grow in Northern California to bloom which means that it is often in bloom during our wettest period and flower stalks that start out standing are soon bending over after it rains. The first two photos were taken in January 2004 by Mary Sue Ittner during a brief dry period. The next photos were taken by Alan Horstmann.
The first picture was taken in the Komsberg in the Roggeveld. The second picture is of the corms on a 1 cm. grid. Photos by Mary Sue Ittner.
Ixia scillaris grows on stony granite, sandstone and clay flats in the northwest and southwest Cape. It has pink, magenta, mauve or white flowers usually with a small greenish or pink center and exserted stamens with split anthers. The first picture below was photographed in South Africa September 2003 by Bob Rutemoeller at Gordon Summerfield 's. The last two were taken by Cameron McMaster near Napier in the Overberg.
Ixia stricta grows on hills and mountain slopes in renosterveld from Caledon to Bredasdorp in the Overberg. It has pink flowers with a small darker central pink star. It is very similar to Ixia micrandra but has different corms, firmer and wider leaves, sometimes branching stems, and a longer laxer spike with more and slightly smaller flowers. Photos by Cameron McMaster taken near Bredasdorp.
Ixia trifolia has small pink flowers (5-9 per spike) and is found on sandstone slopes in the Roggeveld Escarpment and flowers late winter into spring. The flowers open bright pink, but at least on my plants they fade to light pink as they continue to bloom. The first two photos taken by Mary Sue Ittner are of garden plants. The second two photographs were taken by Cameron McMaster in the Komsberg, an area in the Roggeveld. The last was taken by Alan Horstmann.
Ixia versicolor grows on sandy flats in the Southwest Cape. It has white or purple flowers with a dark center and exserted stamens. Photo taken by Rod Saunders from Silverhill Seeds.
Ixia viridiflora is one of the more eagerly sought after species because of its striking turquoise flowers. Reportedly somewhat challenging to keep plants going, it may benefit from occasional summer water. It is found on rocky clay and granite slopes in the western Cape. The first one pictured was grown and photographed by Sheila Burrow in Western Australia. The second photo was taken by Kristina Van Wert, who wrote: "sunk into the succulent garden in the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens these plants bloomed much more vigorously than when grown under cover." The last taken by Mary Sue Ittner shows the amazing color. Some years the color is more vibrant and brighter than others and some years it blooms much better than others.
Ixia A-L – Ixia M-O – Ixia index