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A very tall, elegant species with slender flower spikes held in uncompromisingly vertical
ranks. I have two forms, the orange-red form is fairly typical and came from Fir Tree Farm. The lovely pale pink form came from Proper Plants in Lostwithiel.
Both nurseries have now closed. The pink one came with the label: "Perennial (corm) 2-3ft. Attractive spikes of pink flowers in summertime above sword-shaped leaves. Well drained fertile soil, sunny warm site. Protect over winter in all but mild areas." The Pacific Bulb Society say: "Watsonia galpinii L.Bolus is a rare species found in wet sites along streams in the southern Cape. It grows to 1.2 to 2 m and has an unusually short perianth tube. It has red-orange or mauve-pink flowers and blooms from January to April in the wild. " Peter Goldblatt says: "named in honour of Ernest Galpin, South African banker and amateur botanist who was one of southern Africa's most important plant collectors and one of the first to record this species. Watsonia galpinii is a rare species confined to wet sites along streams in the southern Cape. Watsonia galpinii is easy to distinguish from all other species of Watsonia by its slender habit combined with an unusually short perianth tube, the upper part of which is no more than 8mm long. Watsonia galpinii was described by Louisa Bolus in 1920 at the beginning of her interest in the genus. There appear to be no records of W. galpinii made prior to the eaerly twentieth century" |
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