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Closely allied to W.pillansii, but with pale pink flowers and unbranched flower spikes.
I haven't tried it in the garden yet, but in a pot it has been surprisingly vigorous
as long as it doesn't dry out.
(Watsonias may come from South Africa, but they really do not like it to be too dry.) Khumbula Indigenous Garden say: "Watsonia knysnana is a handsome, clump forming plant with tall with sword-shaped leaves arranged in a fan. A distinguishing feature of this watsonia is the thickened yellow edges of the leaves. Its natural habitat is an area of high rainfall throughout the year." Peter Goldblatt says: " Watsonia knysnana extends along the southern Cape coast and interior mountains from Robinson Pass in the west to East London in the east. Watsonia knysnana is apparently related most closely to the orange-flowered W. pilansii which extends across the southern Cape to Natal Drakensberg. Where the range of these two species at several sites between Knysna and East Longon, a series of intermediates can often be found. The Pacific Bulb Society: "Watsonia knysnana L.Bolus is found on sandstone slopes and flats, especially at forest edges in the Eastern Cape. It is tall (1.6 m) with sword-shaped leaves in a fan and red, purple or pink flowers in a wide tube. It flowers late spring to summer." |
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