In March, attractive clumps of sword-like, blue-green leaves emerge giving weed-suppressing ground cover until October. Tall stems rise in late spring, with hundreds of tiny, scented, star-shaped flowers appearing on each one in early summer. Gradually opening from the bottom to the tip, you get more than a hint of a fox’s brush. Reaching a height of 1.5m, and spreading 60cm, plant towards the back of a border, and it will shine out its orange, pink and yellow hued blooms from June to August each year. The stems are great as cut flowers and make a real impact in floral displays or bouquets. The name stems from the Greek, eremos, meaning desert and oura meaning tail, referring to both the origins of the flower and to its shape. Originating in the arid lands of Central Asia, it is also easy to see why they are also known as the ‘desert candle’. Hardy to -20°C, Eremurus will become dormant over winter – the winter cold is needed to induce flowering – before sprouting again in the spring. Happiest planted in moist, well-drained soil in sun.
Flower and Foliage Months
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Foliage Month
Flowering Month