common freesia

Freesia corymbosa (Burm.f.) N.E.Br.

Freesia corymbosa helped shape the colours of cultivated freesias. Its deep-yellow and pink forms contributed to early breeding, with pink-flowered plants expanding the palette available to growers. The wild species itself is often only weakly scented, and many populations have flowers without an obvious fragrance. Manning and Goldblatt, Botany and horticulture of the genus Freesia, Strelitzia 27 (2010)

Botanical name

Kew accepts Freesia corymbosa (Burm.f.) N.E.Br.; the spacing of the supplied author abbreviations does not change its identity. Kew Plants of the World Online: Freesia corymbosa

Recognizing the plant

Plants usually reach 15–40 centimetres, with narrow, pointed leaves and flowering spikes held horizontally or bent downward. Flowers vary from yellow to pink and occasionally white. A useful identifying detail is the conspicuous dark-brown tip on each usually blunt flower bract; the staining often extends below the tip. Manning and Goldblatt, Botany and horticulture of the genus Freesia, Strelitzia 27 (2010)

Bloom window

Southern Cape, South Africa

In its South African range, flowering usually runs from late August through October, with occasional records as early as May. Manning and Goldblatt, Botany and horticulture of the genus Freesia, Strelitzia 27 (2010)

Native range

This corm-bearing perennial is native to South Africa’s southern Cape region, where Kew places it in the subtropical biome. The monograph records it in open renosterveld, Succulent Karoo scrub and grassy fynbos, growing in loamy or sandy soils. Kew Plants of the World Online: Freesia corymbosa Manning and Goldblatt, Botany and horticulture of the genus Freesia, Strelitzia 27 (2010)

Botanical sources

Reviewed 2026-10-11. Seasonal development varies with location and growing conditions.