Blue Freesia (Babiana stricta)

Babiana stricta, also called Blue Freesia or Baboon Flower, features small, sweetly fragrant trumpet-shaped flowers in harmonious shades of magenta, lilac, and white. This easy-care bulb will brighten up the late spring to early summer garden. With a gentle lemon scent and many long-blooming flowers per stem, this sturdy flower is an easy-care choice for a sunny border, rock garden, or container planting. Plant en masse for best impact.
Zones8 - 10
Advantages
checkmark
Good For Cut Flowers
fragrant
Fragrant Flower / Foliage
containers
Good For Containers
Light Requirements
full-sun
Full Sun
Water Tolerance
Moderate Rainfall
Mature Spread 6-12"
Bulb Spacing12 bulbs per square foot
Bloom TimeEarly Summer
Shipping DetailsNow shipping to zone 10.
Other zones shipping soon.
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Item Package SizeBag of 25
SKUHC018005

USDA Hardiness Planting Zones

To determine if a plant is sufficiently cold hardy, the USDA created numbered zones indicating winter low temperatures; the lower the zone number the colder the winter.

  • If the coldest winter temperature expected in your area is -15°F (zone 5) then any plants rated zones 3-5 will survive the winter temperatures in your area.
  • If you live in very warm winter areas (zones 9-11) plants with zones 3-4 ratings are not recommended. The lack of freezing winter temperatures do not provide a time for winter dormancy (rest).

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$12.99
Per Bag of 25
In stock
SKU
HC018005
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Details

Babiana stricta, also called Blue Freesia or Baboon Flower, is a welcome addition to the late-spring garden. Its compact form and bright flowers create a colorful focal point or a cheerful border. Happy in both full and partial sun locations, they are not fussy about soil type but must have good drainage. Water moderately and keep soil evenly moist to establish. It’s commonly called Baboon Flower because in its native home of southern Africa, baboons love to make a meal of the corms. Bulbs are cold hardy in zones 8-10; in colder climates, bulbs can be planted as annuals, or dig the corms in late fall and store in a cool, dry, dark place to re-plant in spring.

More Information
SKUHC018005
Common Name
Blue Freesia or Baboon Flower
Botanical Name
Babiana stricta
Item Package Size
Bag of 25
Flower Color
Mixed
Light Requirements
Full Sun
Bloom Time
Early Summer
Mature Height
6-12"
Bulb Spacing
12 bulbs per square foot
Planting Depth
Plant 8" deep
Soil Type
Average Soil, Sandy Soil, Compost Enriched Garden Loam Soil, Well-Drained Soil
Soil Moisture
Average, Moist / Wet
Ideal Region
Northeast, Southeast, Midwest, West, Southwest, Pacific Northwest, Coastal California
Advantages
Good For Cut Flowers, Fragrant Flower / Foliage, Good For Containers
Zones
8, 9, 10
Ships As
Bulb, Rhizome, Tuber
Planting Time
Spring / Summer
Ships To Canada
No
Planting Guides

Summer Blooming Bulbs, including popular varieties such as gladiolus and dahlias, are planted in the spring and bloom in the summer. Most of these bulbs are tropical and require warm weather to be planted. There must not be any danger of frost and your ground temperature must have reached 55 degrees Fahrenheit before planting. Many of our summer blooming bulbs can be planted as perennials in zones 9-10 (zone 8 if mulched), but should be treated as annuals in cooler climates. You can lift them and store them in the fall, or bring patio pots inside before frost. See page 15 of our Planting Guide for a bulb depth planting illustration.


View more Planting Guides, or download our complete Planting Guide for tips on caring for your plants when you receive your order, as well as planting instructions for Perennials, Spring-Planted Bulbs, Fall-Planted Bulbs, Cacti & Succulents, Xeric Plants and more.
Shipping
ZoneShipping Status
Zone 2Shipping begins the week of May 15th, 2023
Zone 3Shipping begins the week of May 15th, 2023
Zone 4Shipping begins the week of May 15th, 2023
Zone 5Shipping begins the week of May 1st, 2023
Zone 6Shipping begins the week of April 17th, 2023
Zone 7Shipping begins the week of April 3rd, 2023
Zone 8Shipping begins the week of April 3rd, 2023
Zone 9Shipping begins the week of April 3rd, 2023
Zone 10Now Shipping

As soon as your order is placed you will receive a confirmation email. You will receive a second email the day your order ships telling you how it has been sent. Some perennials are shipped as potted plants, some as perennial roots packed in peat.  The ‘Plant Information’ section describes how that item will ship. All perennials and spring-planted bulbs are packaged to withstand shipping and are fully-guaranteed. Please open upon receipt and follow the instructions included.

Perennials and spring-planted bulbs are shipped at the proper planting time for your hardiness zone. Perennial and spring-planted bulb orders will arrive separately from seeds. If your order requires more than one shipment and all items are shipping to the same address, there is no additional shipping charge. See our shipping information page for approximate ship dates and more detailed information. If you have any questions, please call Customer Service toll-free at (800) 925-9387 or contact us by email.

Shipping Rates

Our shipping rates are calculated based on our actual average shipping costs. We do not seek to profit from shipping fees, so rest assured that our shipping rates reflect an average of what it costs to get our guaranteed products safely to your door.

US Shipping Charges

Merchandise Total Shipping
Charges
Up to $19.99$8.99
$20 to $34.99$10.99
$35 to $49.99$12.99
$50 to $74.99$14.99
$75 to $99.99$16.99
$100 and Over$18.99

Canadian Shipping Charges

Merchandise Shipping
Charges
Up to $24.99$14.95
$25 to $49.99$19.95
$50 to $74.99$24.95
$75 to $99.99$29.95
$100 and Over$39.95

We charge one low flat rate for shipping our products even if your order requires multiple shipments. If you have any questions, please call us at (800) 925-9387.

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