Bugle lily

Watsonia borbonica

Tall Cape fynbos cormous perennial with sword-shaped leaves and elegant spires of pink, salmon, or white trumpet flowers in spring. The largest and most widely grown Watsonia species.

Hardiness ratings

Bugle lily hardiness across the four zone systems
SystemRatingTemperature rangeHow to read it
USDA hardiness zone Zone 8–10 −12.2 °C to 4.4 °C Plant tolerates down to this zone
RHS hardiness rating H3 −5 °C to 1 °C Plant needs at least this level of cold tolerance
Canadian plant hardiness zone Zone 9 −1 °C and warmer Plant tolerates down to this zone
Australian (ANBG) zone Zone 3–6 −5 °C to 15 °C Plant tolerates down to this zone

Growing notes

  • Native to the Cape Floristic Region of South Africa — winter-rainfall Mediterranean climate
  • WARNING: Listed INVASIVE in southern Australia (especially Victoria and Western Australia) — escapes by seed into bushland, do not plant outside contained garden settings
  • Sterile cultivars (e.g. ‘Tresco Dwarf Pink’) are safer in invasive-prone regions
  • Dormant in summer — lift bulbs if growing outside Mediterranean climates

Categories

Related plants

Cross-check Bugle lily against your zones

Reference

Bugle lily on Wikipedia