Angel's fishing rod

Sun

Full sun; choose a warm position sheltered from strong winds.

Water

Water regularly while establishing and during dry spells in spring and summer. Established clumps tolerate some drought, but prolonged dryness can reduce flowering; avoid waterlogged soil, especially in winter.

Soil

Fertile, well-drained soil that retains some summer moisture. Improve heavy clay or use a raised bed; avoid sites where winter rain collects.

Height

4-6 ft (1.2-1.8 m), including flowering stems

Spread

2-3 ft (0.6-0.9 m)

Flowers

Early to midsummer, sometimes continuing into late summer; pendant, bell-shaped flowers in shades of pink to purplish pink.

Foliage

Evergreen. Narrow, arching, grass-like green leaves forming a dense clump; some leaves brown naturally as they age.

Growth

Slow to establish, then moderate; young plants may take several years to flower well.

Care needed

Medium

• Pollinators
• Heat tolerant
• Wildlife
• Low allergen

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Moderate

Toughness

Fairly tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   1 ft (0.3 m)

2. After 1 year

   2 ft (0.61 m)

3. After 2 years

   3 ft (0.92 m)

4. After 3 years

   4 ft (1.2 m)

5. After 5 years

   5 ft (1.5 m)

   full size

About 4 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Safe

Growth rate

Slow

• Plant in spring, allowing room for the flowering stems to arch without crossing a busy path.
• Water deeply during dry spring and summer weather, particularly while plants are establishing.
• Apply a light dressing of balanced fertiliser in spring; avoid heavy nitrogen feeding.
• In colder gardens, mulch around the clump for winter protection without packing wet material over its centre.
• Leave established clumps undisturbed; divide only when necessary, as recovery and flowering can be slow.

Pruning. In spring, cut out individual dead or badly damaged leaves at the base rather than shearing the whole clump. Remove spent flower stems after flowering unless you want seed.

Spring

Remove dead leaves and check that winter mulch is not trapping moisture against the clump.

Spring

Plant new specimens and apply a light dressing of balanced fertiliser.

Late spring

Water during dry spells as flowering stems develop.

Summer

Maintain moisture during prolonged drought and keep surrounding plants from smothering the foliage.

Late summer

Remove faded stems to limit self-seeding, or collect ripe seed for sowing.

Late autumn

Protect the root area in colder gardens and clear drainage routes before winter rain.

• Plant beside a broad path or terrace where the arching stems and hanging bells can be seen close up.
• Combine with ornamental grasses and airy perennials for movement in a sunny border.
• Use in a gravel garden with moisture-retentive soil beneath the gravel, rather than an extremely dry planting pocket.
• Place above a pond edge or low wall so the flowers hang freely, keeping the roots out of saturated ground.

Garden styles it suits: Cottage garden, Romantic rose garden, New perennial (prairie), Dry gravel garden, Coastal and Pastel border.

Plant it with: Catmint, Hardy geranium, Salvia, Gaura, Agapanthus and Tufted hair grass.

Wildlife: The flowers provide nectar and pollen for visiting insects, including bees. Dense foliage offers some shelter for small garden animals.

• Winter rot: avoid waterlogged soil and wet mulch over the centre; improve drainage before planting.
• Poor flowering: provide full sun, avoid excessive nitrogen and allow several years for young or divided plants to settle.
• Cold damage: grow in a sheltered position and protect the root area in winter; severe or prolonged freezes can kill plants.
• Red spider mites in hot, dry conditions, particularly under cover: inspect yellowing leaves, improve growing conditions and use a labelled treatment if needed.

Not known to be toxic to people, cats, dogs or horses. Species-specific information is limited, especially for livestock, so do not treat the leaves, flowers or underground corms as edible.

Where it spreads. Can self-seed and has naturalised in parts of south-eastern Australia, including Victoria. Remove seed heads near bushland and check local weed advice before planting.

• Crocosmia (Crocosmia spp.)

  Crocosmia usually has broader, sword-shaped leaves and orange, red or yellow flowers arranged along arching spikes, rather than pink bells dangling on fine stalks.

• Bugle lily (Watsonia spp.)

  Watsonias have broader, stiffer leaves and upright spikes of trumpet-shaped flowers; dierama has wiry, nodding stems and hanging bells.

Dierama comes from a Greek word for a funnel, referring to the flower shape, pulcherrimum means 'most beautiful', and the common name describes the long stems bending like fishing rods.

Propagation. Sow fresh seed in containers of free-draining seed compost; seedlings usually take several years to flower and may differ from the parent. Divide established clumps carefully in spring only when necessary, keeping several corms together and minimising root disturbance.

Accepted botanical name

Dierama pulcherrimum

Native range

Cape Provinces.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0) and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.