Angel's fishing rod

Angel's fishing rod: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Compact clump of grass-like leaves about 60 cm wide; the flower stems reach 1.5 m.

Leaves

Narrow, sword-shaped and tough, about 60–90 cm long, evergreen; old leaves turn brown at the tips.

Flower

Hanging bells in pink to magenta on thin, flexible stems, from July to September.

Roots

A corm with a fibrous coat and dense, tough roots. It recovers slowly after moving or dividing.

Seed

Round seed capsules with glossy black seeds, which are also attractive on the arching stem.

Flowering: July–September · Plants: April–May

Why grow it?

• Graceful, arching stems with hanging bells: a distinctive silhouette from July to September.
• The grassy foliage stays green all year and gives structure even in winter.
• Bees visit the bell-shaped flowers for nectar and pollen.
• Lovely beside a pond or stream, where the stems arch over the water and move in the wind.
• Once established, it looks good for years with little care.

Angel's fishing rod: where does it grow best?

• Full sun in a warm, sheltered spot. It flowers poorly in shade.
• Humus-rich, moist yet free-draining soil: sandy or loamy, acid to neutral. Avoid chalky soil.
• Keep the soil moist in summer; it does not tolerate long drought, nor wet feet in winter.
• Allow 50–60 cm between plants and give it a permanent home, ideally beside water.

Light

Sun

Soil type

Sand or loam

Acidity

Acid or neutral

Moisture

Normal

Size

1.5 m tall, 0.6 m wide

Hardiness

Half hardy (to -10 °C): protect it in harsh winters

Goes well with

• Ornamental grasses: Feather grass and purple moor grass make a soft backdrop for the swaying stems.
• Siberian iris: Same family, same moist soil, and it flowers before the dierama.
• Daylily: Likes moisture and flowers in the same period.
• Agapanthus: Also South African and sun-loving; adds a spot of blue.
• Hardy geranium: A low flowering edge along the border.

Angel's fishing rod: when and how to plant it?

Plant in April–May.

1. Plant in April–May. Young pot-grown plants root most easily; loose corms also work.
2. Dig a generous hole and mix in compost and a little coarse sand for moist but free-draining soil.
3. Plant a corm about 8 cm deep; set a potted plant at the same depth as in its pot.
4. Space plants 50–60 cm apart and choose the final spot straight away, as moving often costs a few years of flowers.
5. Water thoroughly and keep watering well in the first year.
6. Spread a mulch of leaf mould around the clump, without covering the heart.

Care

Water

Keep the soil moist during the growing season and in dry summers. By a pond this usually happens by itself.

Feeding

A thin layer of compost or a little organic fertiliser in spring. Not too much nitrogen.

Mulching

A mulch in spring keeps the soil cool and moist; keep the heart of the clump clear.

Old leaves

In spring, pull out dead brown leaves from the clump by hand to give new growth some air.

Spent stems

Leave the seed capsules as decoration or cut the stems just above the clump.

Tip: Buy young pot-grown plants and give them their permanent place straight away, ideally by a pond. Moving costs years of flowering.

Angel's fishing rod: when to prune it?

When: It is not pruned; in March–April you simply remove dead leaves.

How:

• Gently pull or comb the brown, dead leaves out of the clump.
• Cut spent flower stems just above the clump, or leave them for the seed capsules.
• Do not cut green leaves: the plant is evergreen and needs them.

Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Seed

Sow in spring or autumn in pots of seed compost, frost-free. Plants flower after two to three years.

Division

In spring, cut a piece off the clump with a sharp knife. The plant recovers slowly and may not flower for years; only do it when necessary.

Angel's fishing rod: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −10 °C: protect in harsh winters.

• Hardy to about −10 °C. The evergreen leaves can turn brown in hard winters; the plant regrows in spring.
• Cover the clump with mulch in the first winters and choose a spot without wet feet, as the corm can rot in cold, wet soil.
• In a pot: keep the pot frost-free and do not let it dry out completely, as the leaves stay green.

Diseases and pests

• No flowers: Common after moving or dividing and in too much shade. Give it a sunny, permanent spot and be patient.
• Slugs: They eat the fresh, soft leaves in spring. Collect them and protect young plants.
• Rotting corm: In cold, wet soil. Provide free-draining ground and do not mulch over the heart.
• Brown leaves: Old leaves and drought cause brown tips. Remove dead parts and water in dry weather.

Through the year

• March: Remove dead leaves from the clump. Add compost.
• April: Plant or divide. Plant by the pond. Keep slugs off.
• May: Plant. Water in dry weather. Apply mulch.
• June: Water in dry weather. Keep the soil moist.
• July: Flowering starts. Water.
• August: Full flower of the arching stems. Water.
• September: Last flowers. Leave the seed capsules.
• October: Cut off spent stems or leave them. Sow.
• November: Apply mulch for the first winters.
• December: Rest. The leaves stay green.

Good for wildlife

Bees

Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.

Did you know?

• The name Dierama comes from Greek and means funnel, after the shape of the flower.
• The thin stems move in the gentlest breeze, which earned the plant nicknames such as angel’s fishing rod and wandflower.
• Dierama belongs to the iris family, like gladioli and montbretia.