• Photo of Crocosmia 'Lucifer' (Crocosmia 'Lucifer's)

Plant Profile: Crocosmia 'Lucifer'

Names

Montbretia

  • Photo of Crocosmia 'Lucifer' (Crocosmia 'Lucifer's)

Phonetic Spelling:kroh-KOZ-mee-ah

Genus:Crocosmia

Species:

Family:Iridaceae

'Lucifer' is a vibrant South African Crocosmia that thrives from corms and is well-suited for North Carolina's climate. Its striking red blooms brighten up gardens during the summer months, drawing in hummingbirds and various pollinators. Florists frequently incorporate these flowers into their arrangements.

This plant flourishes in moderately moist, well-drained soil and prefers locations with full sun to partial shade. For optimal growth, plant six bulbs per square foot at a depth of 5 to 8 inches. Over time, they will naturalize, but can be divided in the spring if necessary. In cooler regions, it's possible that they won't flower in their first year.

For a stunning display, consider planting them in groups along borders, providing both enduring color and cut flowers for your home.

Be aware that spider mites can pose a threat to the foliage.

For further details on Crocosmia hybrids, additional information is available.

Crocosmia 'Lucifer' Feature Summary

Crocosmia 'Lucifer' Image Gallery

Tags

#hummingbirds
#showy flowers
#wildlife plant
#red flowers
#corms
#nectar plant
#cut flowers
#rabbit resistant
#mass planting
#flower arrangements
#deer resistant
#scarlet flowers
#naturalizes
#borders
#butterfly friendly
#tropical feel
#container plants

Similar Plants

Crocosmia 'Lucifer' Feature Summary

Attributes
Flowers attract hummingbirds and butterflies.
In zone 5 and lower, corms must be dug up and stored in a dry medium for the winter
Flowers
Abundant brilliant red, tubular flowers appear in midsummer atop slightly arching, sparsely branched 3-foot-tall stems. Flowers bloom from the bottom up. Good for cut flowers and often used by florists. Blooms June to August.
Red/Burgundy
Good Cut
Showy
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
6 petals/rays
1-3 inches
Leaves
Sword-shaped basal leaves with parallel venation.
Filiform
> 6 inches
1-3 inches
Whole Plant Traits
Annual
Bulb
Clumping
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Good Drainage
3 feet-6 feet
12 inches-3 feet
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
9a
9b
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Landscape
Pollinator Garden
Children's Garden
Border
Mass Planting
Deer
Heat
Humidity
Rabbits
Container
Patio
Naturalized Area
Butterflies
Hummingbirds

Crocosmia 'Lucifer' Attributes

Crocosmia 'Lucifer': Wildlife Value

Flowers attract hummingbirds and butterflies.

Crocosmia 'Lucifer': Bulb Storage

In zone 5 and lower, corms must be dug up and stored in a dry medium for the winter

Crocosmia 'Lucifer': Life Cycle

Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody

Crocosmia 'Lucifer': Recommended Propagation Strategy

Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting

Crocosmia 'Lucifer' Flowers

Crocosmia 'Lucifer': Flower Description

Abundant brilliant red, tubular flowers appear in midsummer atop slightly arching, sparsely branched 3-foot-tall stems. Flowers bloom from the bottom up. Good for cut flowers and often used by florists. Blooms June to August.

Crocosmia 'Lucifer': Flower Color

filter_vintage
Red/Burgundy

Crocosmia 'Lucifer': Flower Inflorescence

Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel

Crocosmia 'Lucifer': Flower Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy

Crocosmia 'Lucifer': Flower Bloom Time

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Crocosmia 'Lucifer': Flower Petals

2-3 rays/petals
4-5 petals/rays
6 petals/rays
7 - 20 petals/rays
asymmetrical petals
Bracts
Colored Sepals
fused petals
more than 20 petals/rays
Tepals

Crocosmia 'Lucifer': Flower Shape

Bell
Cross
Crown
Cup
Dome
Funnel
Irregular
Lipped
Radial
Saucer
Star
Trumpet
Tubular
Urn
Wheel

Crocosmia 'Lucifer': Flower Size

1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches

Crocosmia 'Lucifer' Leaves

Crocosmia 'Lucifer': Leaf Description

Sword-shaped basal leaves with parallel venation.

Crocosmia 'Lucifer': Leaf Color

spa
Green

Crocosmia 'Lucifer': Leaf Type

Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple

Crocosmia 'Lucifer': Leaf Arrangement

Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled

Crocosmia 'Lucifer': Leaf Shape

Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate

Crocosmia 'Lucifer': Leaf Margin

Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate

Crocosmia 'Lucifer': Hairs Present

No
Yes

Crocosmia 'Lucifer': Leaf Length

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches

Crocosmia 'Lucifer': Leaf Width

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches

Crocosmia 'Lucifer' Whole Plant Traits

Crocosmia 'Lucifer': Plant Type

Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower

Crocosmia 'Lucifer': Habit/Form

Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping

Crocosmia 'Lucifer': Maintenance

Low
Medium
High

Crocosmia 'Lucifer' Cultural Conditions

Crocosmia 'Lucifer': Light

Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

Crocosmia 'Lucifer': Soil Drainage

Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry

Crocosmia 'Lucifer': Available Space To Plant

12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet

Crocosmia 'Lucifer': NC Region

Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont

Crocosmia 'Lucifer': USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

thermostat
5a
thermostat
5b
thermostat
6a
thermostat
6b
thermostat
7a
thermostat
7b
thermostat
8a
thermostat
8b
thermostat
9a
thermostat
9b

Crocosmia 'Lucifer': Soil Texture

Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky

Crocosmia 'Lucifer' Stem

Crocosmia 'Lucifer': Stem Is Aromatic

No
Yes

Crocosmia 'Lucifer' Landscape

Crocosmia 'Lucifer': Landscape Theme

Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden

Crocosmia 'Lucifer': Design Feature

Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree

Crocosmia 'Lucifer': Resistance To Challenges

Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind

Crocosmia 'Lucifer': Landscape Location

Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland

Crocosmia 'Lucifer': Attracts

Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees