Earlier this spring on a trip to Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, I noticed some wonderful varieties of freesia – so of course – I had to photograph them. Last year I had photographed some Blue Bayou, Yvonne and Purple Star Freesia, so it was great seeing two more varieties of these lovely plants.
(c) 2010 Patty Hankins
Freesia are members of the iris family, native to Africa. The majority are native to the Cape Province area of South Africa. They grow from a corm which sends up leaves and then one-sided spikes with the flowers. Most freesias grow to be about 18-24 inches tall. In the US, they are hardy from zones 8a to 11, preferring sunny areas with well-drained soil. Freesias are named after the German physician, Friedrich Heinrich Theodor Freese (1795–1876).
(c) 2010 Patty Hankins
Freesias are known for their lovely scents. They are often in the creation of perfumes, scented oils and soaps and candles.
(c) 2010 Patty Hankins
All part of freesias are poisonous and should never be eaten.
Most of the freesias I photographed this year were the lovely ones with the pink and white petals. I haven’t been able to identify what specific variety of freesia they are.
I did photograph one other freesia that day – a lovely white variety – Volante.
(c) 2010 Patty Hankins
For additional online information about freesias, you can visit