Babianas.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20477, 1 December 1934, Page 10

Babianas.

A Garden Corner.

THE BABOONS of Cape Colony were responsible for the name bestowed on these pretty South African bulbous plants. The Dutch word for the animal is “ Babianer,” and as they were extremely fond of the roots for food, there grew up the habit of calling the plant the Babiana or baboon root. They are showy little plants, with either blue or crimson flowers on 9 to 12in stems. The common

form is dark blue with darker shading. The flowers are like a cluster of small crocus blooms. While quite good as a cut flower, they excel as edging plants like Sparaxis or Freezias, and can be left undisturbed for years. For greenhouse culture, the Babianas are excellent. Being small bulbs, six to eight can be put into a 6in pot, when good results will be obtained with ordinary treatment. Planted in autumn, the bulbs flower in November.