Tiger Flower (Mexican Shell Flower, One-Day Lily, or Shell Flower)
Tigridia pavonia (IRIDACEAE)
Planting and Growing Tiger Flower
You’ll find everything you need to know to plant and grow tiger flower (Mexican shell flower, one-day lily, or shell flower) in the accompanying table’s tabs:
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- Flowers, foliage, and root structure of tiger flower
- Season of bloom and planting time for tiger flower
- Plant hardiness and growing conditions for tiger flower
- When, how deep, and where to plant tiger flower
- How to plant tiger flower
- Watering, fertilizing, care and pests or diseases of tiger flower
- Landscape and indoor uses of tiger flower
- Comments about tiger flower and its features
Growing Tiger Flower
Summer corm. Deciduous. Stands to 3 ft. (90 cm) tall. Swordlike, vertically ribbed, narrow, stiff green leaves, to 18 in. (45 cm) long.
Tiger Flower Planting and Care Guide
Flowers
Summer–autumn. Orange, pink, purple, red, white, yellow. Cup-shaped or open, tripetaled, nearly triangular flowers, to 3 in. (75 mm) wide, with inset, curved, inner petals and speckled, contrasting-colored centers. Succession of blooms, each lasting a single day.
Best Climates
U.S.D.A. Plant Hardiness Zones 4–11; ground hardy, zones 7–9.
Soil Type and Fertility
Moist, well-drained soil. Fertility: Average. 6.0–7.0 pH.
Where and How to Plant
Late spring in full sun, zones 4–6, for bloom following season; autumn, zones 7–11. Space 4–6 in. (10–15 cm) apart, 2–3 in. (50–75 mm) deep.
Proper Care
Moderate. Keep moist spring–summer. Fertilize during growth. Mulch, zones 4–8. Lift, zones 4–6. Protect from heat, frost. Propagate by cormlets, offsets, seed.
Lifting and Storing
Dark, 50–60°F (10–16°C), in net bag or open basket of dry peat moss.
About This Species
Good choice for beds, borders, containers, mixed plantings in tropical gardens and landscapes. Deer, rodent and spider mite susceptible.