Ah, African Corn Lily. A fine choice for the garden.

All plants Card

African Corn Lily

Ixia maculata

Zones 8–13

Growing

These striking perennials are best known for their slender, wiry stems and star-shaped flowers that rise above sword-like foliage. Because they grow in distinct clumps rather than spreading through runners, they are ideal for container gardening or for adding structured interest to a sunny border. When planting from bulbs or corms, ensure your site provides excellent drainage, as they do not tolerate waterlogged conditions.

To keep your blooms looking their best, practice regular deadheading once the flowers fade. This simple care routine helps maintain the plant's beauty and can encourage further flowering. These plants are excellent for attracting pollinators like bees to your garden, providing a nectar source for beneficial insects.

If you are starting these indoors, you can transplant them into the garden once the weather has warmed. As a warm-season plant, they thrive in the heat but are sensitive to cold; be sure to protect them if a light frost is expected. For those using them in floral arrangements, their fragrant blossoms make wonderful additions to cut flower collections.

Stats
Sunfull sun
Waterlow
Grow time—
Height<1ft
Spacing6–12in
Light
Full sun✓
Part shade✓
Shade✗
Traits
Life cycleperennial
Categorygarden perennial
Growth habitupright
Seasonwarm
Frost tolerancetender
Heightunder 1ft
Spacing6–12in
Days to bloomover 150
Native us✗
Growing
Waterlow
Drainagewell drained
Soil ph min6.0
Soil ph max7.5
Propagation
Seed✓
Cutting✗
Division✓
Graft✗
Tuber bulb crown✓
Transplant✓
Container ok✓
Spreadclump
Deer resistant✓
Drought tolerant✓
Pollinator friendly✓
Toxic to
People—
Pets—
Livestock—
Bloom
Lengthunder 2wk
Colors
White✗
Yellow✗
Orange✗
Red✗
Pink✗
Purple✗
Blue✗
Green✗
Fragrant✓
Reblooms✗
Deadhead✓
Cut flower✓
Dried flower✗
Invasive
Statusnone
Regions
Northeast✗
Southeast✗
Midwest✗
Plains✗
Southwest✗
Mountain west✗
Pacific northwest✗
California✗
Hawaii✗
State noxious✗
Escapes cultivation✗
Calendar, zone 7
Not suited to zone 7. Grows in zones 8–13.