Golden montbretia, falling stars

How to grow Golden montbretia, falling stars

Written by the GardenDecoded editorial team · Last reviewed 21 July 2026 · Written for UK gardens · How we research our guidance

Planting

Plant corms in spring, about 8–10 cm deep, in a sheltered, sunny spot with good drainage. This South African species is noticeably less hardy than the familiar garden hybrids, so in most of Britain it needs a warm wall, a deep dry mulch over winter, or lifting and storing frost-free.

Pruning

Remove flowered stems once they are over. Leave the foliage until it yellows, then cut it down; in colder gardens leave the dead growth in place over winter as extra insulation for the corms.

Propagation

Lift and separate the corm chains in spring as growth begins. Divide every few years — congested clumps produce plenty of leaves and few flowers.

Pests and diseases

Red spider mite in a hot dry position, and gladiolus thrips can mark the flowers. Corms rot in cold wet soil over winter, which is the usual cause of losses.

Value to wildlife

The arching sprays are visited by bees, and the tubular flowers suit long-tongued insects. In their native range crocosmias are bird-pollinated.

Notes

Do not assume this behaves like the vigorous orange montbretia naturalised in western Britain — that is Crocosmia x crocosmiiflora, and the true species is both more tender and less invasive. Treat it as a plant that needs a favoured spot rather than one that will look after itself.

This guidance was researched and written by GardenDecoded — see our editorial policy for how guides are checked and reviewed.

Other names for this plant

These names have all been used for Crocosmia aurea but are no longer the accepted name. You may still meet them on old labels, in books, or in nursery catalogues.

Others in Crocosmia