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Moraea setifolia

Paper Glasstulp

Iridaceae South Africa (Cape region)

Attracts Pollinators Drought Tolerant

SunFull Sun

WaterLow · drought-tolerant

HardinessZones 8–10

Overview

Moraea setifolia is a small cormous perennial 4-12 inches (10-30 cm) tall with one or two slender, thread-like leaves that often lie along the ground. In spring it produces small flowers about 0.8-1.2 inches (2-3 cm) across in pale lilac, blue, or cream, marked with darker veins and a yellow centre. Each flower opens in the afternoon and lasts only a short time, with new flowers following over several weeks. It grows from a small corm wrapped in fibrous tunics and forms cormels that help it spread. Moraea setifolia is native to South Africa and has naturalised as a weed in southern Australia, where it grows in pasture, roadsides, and disturbed sandy ground. Like other Cape tulips in the genus, it can be toxic to grazing livestock. The foliage dies back to the corm in summer, and the corms persist in the soil, which makes naturalised stands hard to remove.

Native Range

Moraea setifolia is native to the Cape region of South Africa. It has naturalised in southern Australia, mainly in South Australia and Western Australia, where it grows on disturbed and grazed land with winter rainfall.

Suggested Uses

Moraea setifolia has no horticultural use and is treated as a weed across its naturalised range. It is regarded as a pasture and roadside weed rather than a garden plant, partly because of its toxicity to livestock.

How to Identify

Identify by the very slender, thread-like leaves and the small pale lilac to bluish flowers 0.8-1.2 inches (2-3 cm) wide with darker veins and a yellow centre. The flowers open in the afternoon and close again the same day. The small corm has fibrous tunics and forms cormels, separating it from the larger Watsonia spp. and Gladiolus spp..

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height4" - 1'

Width/Spread4" - 8"

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~5 weeks

Spring

Flowering occurs in spring, mainly September to November in its naturalised range. Each flower opens in the afternoon and lasts only a few hours, with fresh flowers continuing in succession over several weeks. Capsules and cormels form before the plant dies back in summer.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

pale lilac to blue

Foliage Description

green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun

Requires 6-10 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range5.5 - 7.5(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

sand loam

Drainageaverage

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Low

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

1-2 years from corm

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Moraea setifolia grows from a corm in full sun on sandy or loamy soils and is active in the cooler, wetter months before going dormant in summer. It is not cultivated and spreads from seed and cormels on disturbed and grazed ground. Like related Cape tulips it can be toxic to livestock, so it is managed as a weed in pasture. Control means removing or spraying plants before they set seed and limiting movement of soil that carries corms. The corms persist for years, so repeated treatment is usually needed.

Pruning

No pruning is practised, as the plant is treated as a weed. Cutting or grazing does not reliably control it because it reshoots from the corm. Cutting flower stems before seed set reduces spread but leaves the corms in the soil.