How big does Montbretia grow?

About 90 cm × 60 cm after ten years (height × width).

Hardy down to -23 °C (USDA zone 6, RHS H7). It gets through winter in every part of the country.

How much water does Montbretia need?

Water need: medium. Drought tolerance: medium.

How much does Montbretia cost?

Sold in local shops as a bulb or tuber from about HUF 2,000, and as a plant from about HUF 3,000.

Montbretia

Crocosmia × crocosmiiflora

Montbretia (Crocosmia × crocosmiiflora) is a perennial that reaches 90 cm × 60 cm after ten years. Light: full sun, part shade. Hardy down to -23 °C. Drought tolerance: medium. Sold in local shops as a bulb or tuber from about HUF 2,000.

Illustration of Montbretia — An illustration of the typical shape of the mature plant, not a photo.

What it's good for, and what it isn't

Above sword-shaped fresh green leaves it carries arching sprays of fiery red, orange or yellow flowers in midsummer, and they last well when cut. Hardiness differs between cultivars: the tall, vigorous scarlet types are the toughest, the daintier orange and yellow ones are more tender, so look at this when choosing. Give it a sunny, sheltered spot in soil that drains well but stays moist in summer, planting the corms 8 to 10 cm deep in spring. It overwinters in the ground if you leave the foliage on in autumn and cover it with a thick mulch of leaves or bark; in very cold, wet gardens it is safer to lift the corms in autumn and store them dry and frost-free. It thickens into dense clumps over time and is worth dividing every three to five years.

Watch out for

In Central Europe the corms can be lost in hard winters without snow cover and in wet soil, especially in the first year and without a mulch. In hot, dry summers spider mites can badly damage the foliage and reduce flowering. Congested clumps and plants in shade flower poorly. It escapes into the wild in mild, wet oceanic regions, but we found no such reports for the continental part of the region.

Key facts

Light: Full sun, Part shade
Water need: Medium
Care: Low
Size after 10 years: 90 cm × 60 cm
Hardiness: down to -23 °C
Foliage: Deciduous

Group	Perennial
Light	Full sun, Part shade
Size after 10 years	90 cm × 60 cm
Ultimate size	0.4–1.2 m × 30–90 cm
Hardiness	down to -23 °C (USDA 6, RHS H7)
Soil	Average garden soil, Sandy
Foliage	Deciduous
Flowering	June–September, red, orange, yellow
Water need	Medium
Drought tolerance	Medium
Maintenance	Low
Root aggressiveness	Low
Suckering	no data
Spreading	Medium
Distance from buildings	no data
Distance from paving	no data
Litter	not typical
Planting distance	25 cm
For dogs	no data
For cats	no data
For children	no data
Typical price	from about HUF 2,000

Toxicity data is for information only. If your pet or child has eaten a plant, contact a vet or a doctor.

Sizes and prices available

The same plant is sold as a small pot and as a specimen several metres tall, and the price follows. Prices are rounded and for guidance only.

Size	Typical price
bulb or tuber	approx. HUF 2,000
size not stated	approx. HUF 3,000 – HUF 5,400

Frequently asked questions

Data updated: October 8, 2026 · How our data is made

Appears in these lists

Perennials for part shade Perennials for full sun Perennials for pollinators Plants for containers Low-maintenance perennials