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Grown by Kevin Hughes from seed collected by Jim Archibald. Jim and Jenny Archibald sold seed from home grown plants of the collection and in their 2005 seed list they say: "A spectacular species, about 2m tall, which so far seems just as hardy and suited to the UK climate as W.pillansii. Original collection: South Africa, Western Cape, Groot Swartberg, south of Price Albert, 1500m. Along stream. A tall wet grower endemic to the Swartberg and Kammanassie ranges. According to Goldblatt the Swartberg populations range from deep red to orange, pink and cream. UK grown seed from our 1996 collection." The seed was first listed in their January 1997 seed list with the details from their 1996 collecting trip: "JCA.3.955.300: Watsonia wilmaniae.W Cape, Groot swartberg, S of Prince Albert. 1500m. Seeps on rocky slopes and along stream, 28.3.96. (A tall wet-grower endemic to streamsides & marshes in the Swartberg and Kammanassie ranges of the S. Capr. Flowering in late summer with spectacular spikes, up to 1.5m high, of large flowers, unusually variable in colour. According to Goldblatt, the Swartberg populations range from deep red tp orange, pink and cream. We see no reason why this should not be every bit as hardy as W. pillansii and should be as successful in ordinary garden conditions in the UK as other S.African wet growers)." |
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| 18th June 2006 | ||