DAZZLING TRICOLOUR DISPLAY

Bursting from the bud in shades of tangerine, crimson, yellow, lavender or creamy white, Sparaxis tricolor bears a constellation of starshaped blooms. Each is adorned with a vivid yellow centre, fringed with black or deep red, which has earned its common name of harlequin flower. A native of South Africa, this cormous perennial flowers from March, rising above fans of slender, lance-shaped leaves that die back after flowering. The plants survive as dormant corms over the summer. They do best in a sunny position in soil that is fertile and well drained. The flowers make ideal rock garden plants, but are also suited to beds, borders and containers. Any spent flower stems should be removed to encourage fresh growth.