Flower Encyclopedia: Freesia
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| Scientific classification |
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Liliopsida
Order: Asparagales
Family: Iridaceae
Genus: Freesia | |
A pure delight, the petals of the freesia grow from what seems like a delicate stem. This delicacy however, is somewhat of a misgiving as the freesia is a wonderfully resilient little flower. Available in long-stem or short-stem form, the freesia can be found in a real array of colours - from pure white to yellow, to deep purple and red.
These deep colours are typically the most fragrant - a real "Marmite" of the flower world. People seem to either love or hate this little gem, with its unusual shape and sweet, fragrant scent. Luckily most people fall into the former category, ourselves included... we love it! Their scent, ranging from subtle to what could also be considered pungent, is often used in cosmetics - from hand lotions to shampoo!
Popular in bouquets and arrangements alike, a basket of freesia is a wonderful gift - popular with florists, customers and recipients alike at Mothers Day especially. Its traditional values and sweet smell make it a favourite of mothers around the world. Often considered seasonal, freesia is now available all year round, thanks to the efforts of growers to provide perfect growing conditions for 12 months of the year.
The freesia, in it's numerous varieties, is almost exclusively found wild in the Cape Province of South Africa, with a couple of variants native to tropical Africa, and just one species extending north of the equator to Sudan.
Numerous cultivars are now available, both as garden plants and as cut-flowers. Some of the wildest, most colourful cultivars are actually hybrids between the freesia and gladioli. Hybridizing these two species of flower has helped to provide us with the array of colours and scents we have on offer to us today.
