Wild flower or bulbs that have been planted at some time (photo)

young codger

This is very distinctive and I feel many will recognise it, and probably know what it is called.

I have lived here for many years. I have only started taking notice of it now because  recently there seems to  be quite a lot of it. Orange flowers and small bulbs on the root end. The 'leaves' are like wide blades of grass but more rigid that grow over a foot long.

I pull it with the intention of snapping the leaves off but invariably it comes out of the ground complete with the small bulb.I use it for composting material after chopping it up with the scissors. I save the bulbs but don't really need  them.

AnniD

I'm pretty sure it's crocosmia (formerly known a monbretia). Usually the corms end up forming a string.

Fran IOM

@young codger I would agree with @AnniD.  If you like it and have room for it, it can look really good. I have some in my garden which I inherited. 

Buttercupdays

Do you want it or don't you?

Pulling the leaves off will prevent it growing properly. It can grow to well over a foot tall, with a mass of green leaves and a spectacular display of flowers starting about now.

However it can be invasive and you will need to keep it in check. It is illegal to cause or allow it to grow in the wild because of this. If you don't want it you will need to dig down and make sure you remove all the corms, some of them may be very small, and dispose of them responsibly. It can spread by seed too so keep a lookout for newcomers.

GardenerSuze

@young codger Just looked at your second photo they look more like bulbs than Crocosmia corms. Some of the cocosmias are beautiful such as C Limpopo and C Short Red, Not suitable for a dry garden. Others are happy in shade.

young codger

The photo from Fram IOM  matches my plant. However, the photo of the 'corns' from AnnieD looks a bit different to my bulbs.

So what plant are we saying it is, Crocosmia or something else?

shazza 3

I've got loads of this and even though I regularly pull it up, because the bulbs go so deep underground, it comes back all the time. I've managed to dig up a few clumps that we've put against a wall but I can't seem to get rid of any more. My various clumps were much bigger than the photos.  

Buttercupdays

Crocosmia, no doubt at all. Something else might have got mixed up with it, but dig down and you'll find those corms

young codger

@AnniD
Where did you get them corns/bulbs from in your photo?

AnniD

If you dig down they should come up , but it just depends on how long they've been in the ground. I have some called "George Davison"' (a yellow variety) that seemed to form a small string very quickly, but l also have some red ones that seem to form just one big one.
No idea if that's usual, or just me.
The one on the bottom right of your photo looks like it's just started forming .

Can you get a spade or fork down pretty deep (say spade's depth), and dig them up ? If you dig rather than pull that might produce the evidence 

bcpathome

It’s crocosmia a right pain to get rid of once planted