Chapters

Caring for Arthropodium cirratum 'Matapouri Bay'

Arthropodium cirratum 'Matapouri Bay' - Care Guide

Caring for Arthropodium cirratum 'Matapouri Bay'

Rienga lily, Rock lily

This is a tufted evergreen perennial from New Zealand with lance shaped flax-like grey-green leaves. It is a half hardy variety of Arthropodium except in milder parts of the country and, when grown outside, it needs to be situated in full sun near a warm wall or bank in well drained gritty soil. A. cirratum is very prone to rotting off in overly wet soil or in areas which can become waterlogged in winter.

A. cirratum produces nodding star shaped white flowers in floppy panicles in May to June. The flowers are flecked purple and yellow. With an overall height of leaves and flowers of about 3ft this is a striking and unusual new plant for the garden or conservatory.

It is easily propagated by division whereby the side shoots are removed from the edge of the main plant.

Under glass this plant should be grown in a loamy potting compost with plenty of sand or grit. Water frequently and feed a liquid fertiliser in the growing season and water sparingly in winter.