In a project that we have just completed, many of the species produced in the Nursery have been planted, among the numerous plants used here and about which we will be commenting in upcoming posts, on this occasion, we want to highlight Libertia peregrinans, which although being a relatively little-known species, is becoming more and more common and we are beginning to find it often in both public and private gardening.
Libertia peregrinans is a rhizomatous herbaceous plant that despite its grass-like appearance, belongs to the Iridaceae family. Its name is due to the Belgian botanist Anne-Marie Libert and “peregrinans” to its “wandering” behavior in its natural habitat, as reflected in some of its common names. This plant, which in our country does not have a specific common name, in Anglo-Saxon countries is known as “Orange Libertia” or “Wandering Chilean Iris”, although this plant is actually native to New Zealand.
It is an evergreen clump, compact and small in size, reaching about 50cm in both height and width. Its main characteristic lies in the color of its leaves, which vary in chromatism depending on the time of year. Passing from more muted green and garnet tones in the warm and growth season, to very bright yellow and orange tones that occur in the coldest seasons of the year. The chromatism of the leaves also depends on exposure, since although it is a plant that tolerates semi-shade, full sun exposure enhances the more intense coppery colors. This characteristic, despite its somewhat rough and rigid appearance, provides great variability throughout the year and will provide color in the months of the year when striking and bright colors are less abundant in gardens.
Flowering occurs from early spring to early summer. Its small white flowers emerge from the clump on short stems forming a panicle.
It is a species that has no tendency to suffer from pests or diseases. It withstands moderately cold winters, tolerating temperatures down to -9ºC, although a dry mulch can also be applied to protect it from low temperatures during winter. It likes to grow in soils rich in organic matter, moderately fertile and well-drained although it is tolerant to other types of substrates.
In terms of maintenance, it requires very little care, nor is it demanding in irrigation, being very tolerant to lack of water. To keep Libertia in good condition, not too many actions are necessary; flower stems should be cut once flowering has ended, and at the end of winter the plant can be tidied and structured according to needs.
It is a plant that can be used as an accent among plantings, en masse as a border or edging for flower beds, and it also tolerates pot cultivation very well.
In addition to Libertia peregrinans, at Sala Graupera you can also find other Libertia varieties such as: L. peregrinans “Gold Leaf” and Libertia ixioides, all with very similar characteristics but with different nuances in the tonality and intensity of the leaf color.