Pretty garden giant
Name: WatsoniaPillansii
Description
Robust perennial up to 1, 6 m tall, forming colonies. Under favourable conditions, it grows in great masses, painting the veld with its striking orange flowers. Basal leaves, sword-shaped, slightly twisted, light green, margins translucent yellow, tips sharp and usually dry. Orange flowers are ± 35 in inflorescences, with a cylindrical tube, 36-50 mm long, and filaments 30-40 mm long (September-April); the fruits are blunt.
Conservation status
According to the SANBI (South African National Biodiversity Institute) Red list of South African Plants, Watsonia pillansii was not selected in any one of four screening processes for highlighting potential taxa of conservation concern for detailed assessment and was hence given an automated status of Least Concern (L.C.). The Threatened Species Pro- gramme is currently systematically completing full assessments for all taxa with an automated status. http:// redlist.sanbi.org
Distribution and habitat
Pillans’ watsonia found in rocky slopes, grassland and on slopes of the coastal belt in southern and eastern South Africa. This widespread species occurs from George eastwards to KwaZulu-Natal.
Derivation of name and historical aspects
The genus Watsonia was named after Sir William Watson (3 April 1715 – 10 May 1787), an English physician and scientist who was born and died in London.
The species were named by Harry Bolus (28 April 1834 -25 May 1911) in honour of Neville Stuart Pillans (2 May 1884 – 23 March 1964), a Cape Town botanist who worked at Bolus Herbarium in the University of Cape Town. Igotyibe derives from ukugoba, meaning to bend, referring to the power of the plant to deflect evil forces. Learn about our natural heritage and the links between cultural and biological diversity
Ecology
Birds and butterflies are frequent visitors. This species is also able to survive fast-moving grass or fynbos fires and even if the plant is burned, the corms are unharmed and will re-sprout. Watsonias are flowering prolifically after fires.
They love fire and grow back strongly after a burn, flowering in pinks, oranges and purples, but this one does not need fire in order to flower. Lights seeds are shaken out of the capsule and dispersed by wind, but do not fall very far from the parent, so they tend to form large colonies.
Uses and cultural aspects
An infusion of the powered corm is administered as purgative to treat lower back pain. Mixed with milk, it is taken orally to treat erectile dysfunction.
Growing Watsonia
Grow Watsonia pillansii in full sun, in well-drained, well composted soil with plenty of water all year around, particularly during the summer months.
This watsonia is evergreen. Its main growing season is in spring and summer. It does not die back at the end of the growing season or during the winter months. As the outer leaves die off, they can be cut off to keep the plant looking attractive.
It multiples rapidly forming large clumps. It is tender to half hardy and needs protection from frost. It is suitable for coastal gardens.
Watsonia pillansii is very attractive grown in clumps in mixed beds or borders, rock gardens, retaining walls and terraces or on embankments. It is also effective mass-planted.
It is perfect for inter-planting with smaller evergreen agapanthus such as Agapanthus praecox subsp minimus, they flower at the same time giving a very striking blue and orange display. It also looks good with summer-flowering yellow shrubs such as Euryops tysonii or Helichrysum cymosum. It can be grown in large containers. On how to propagate by seed read further: http://pza.sanbi.org/watsonia-pillansii • Someleze Mgcuwa is a plant digitiser for the Karoo Bio gaps project, based in the Schonland Herbarium.