Tigridia (Tiger Flower)
📖 About this plant
Tigridia, the Tiger Flower or Mexican Shell Flower, produces some of the most exotically patterned flowers of any bulb, with three large outer petals surrounding three smaller inner segments boldly spotted with contrasting colors. The combination is truly wild — imagine bright red outer petals with a center of white segments spotted in deep maroon, or orange petals with yellow spotted centers. Each individual flower lasts only one day, but a single corm can produce multiple flower spikes over several weeks, ensuring a continuous parade of these spectacular blooms. Native to the highlands of Mexico, Tigridias thrive in warm, sunny conditions and add a tropical, exotic flair to late-summer gardens. The fan-shaped arrangement of pleated leaves is also ornamental. Despite their exotic appearance, Tigridias are relatively easy to grow and rewarding for gardeners seeking something truly different.
🧑🌾 Care requirements
Full Sun
Moderate — keep soil moist during active growth and flowering; reduce as foliage dies back
40-60%
Frost-tender — zones 8-10; lift bulbs before first frost in colder areas and store dry over winter
Well-draining, moderately fertile, sandy loam; excellent drainage essential; pH 6.0-7.0
Balanced liquid fertilizer every 2-3 weeks during growing season
🌐 Common Names
📋 Plant facts
- 🌍 Origin
- Mexico and Central America — high altitude areas from Mexico to Guatemala
- 📏 Max height
- 30-45 cm (12-18 in)
- 📐 Spread
- 10-15 cm (4-6 in)
- 🕰️ Bloom time
- Mid-Summer to Early Autumn (July-September)
- 🎨 Bloom color
- Brilliant red, pink, orange, yellow, white — each flower has contrasting spotted inner segments creating a 'tiger-like' pattern
- 🍃 Foliage color
- Sword-shaped, pleated, bright green leaves in a fan arrangement
- ⏳ Lifespan
- Tender perennial corm (stored dry in winter in cold zones)
- 📈 Growth rate
- Fast during growing season
- ☠️ Toxicity
- Generally non-toxic; not known to be harmful to humans or pets
- 🌱 Propagation
- Cormel (offset) separation at lifting time in autumn; seed sown in spring (flowers in 2nd year)
🛡️ Health & Safety
Generally non-toxic; not known to be harmful to humans or pets
Common issues
- Individual flowers last only one day (but succession of blooms compensates)
- corms rot if soil is too wet
- frost damage if left in ground in cold zones
- thrips and spider mites in hot dry conditions
- slow to establish in the first year
💡 Care tips
- Plant corms 8-10 cm (3-4 in) deep in spring after all frost danger has passed.
- In cold zones (below zone 8), lift corms after foliage dies back and store in dry peat or vermiculite at 10-15°C (50-60°F).
- Plant in groups of 10+ for the best visual impact — individual flowers are brief but a group creates continuous color.
- Ensure excellent drainage to prevent corm rot.
- The succession of daily blooms means a single planting provides weeks of flowers.
- Tigridias are spectacular in containers on patios and balconies.
- Plant where their brief-but-spectacular flowers can be appreciated up close.
