Freesia is a genus of herbaceous perennial flowering plants in the family Iridaceae (order Asparagales), native to the eastern side of southern Africa, from Kenya south to South Africa, with the majority of species concentrated in the Cape Provinces. The genus was first formally described in 1866 by Christian Friedrich Ecklon and named in honour of German botanist and physician Friedrich Freese (1795–1876).
Plants grow from small conical corms 1–2.5 cm in diameter, producing tufts of narrow leaves 10–30 cm long and branched stems reaching 10–40 cm in height. Each stem bears a loose, one-sided spike of flowers with six petals; in most species these are narrowly funnel-shaped and notably fragrant. Species formerly placed in the genus Anomatheca — such as Freesia laxa — are now included in Freesia and bear flat rather than cup-shaped flowers.
The cultivated freesias widely grown in horticulture and the cut-flower trade are hybrids developed in the 19th century, primarily from crosses between Freesia refracta and Freesia leichtlinii, with additional contributions from the pink- and yellow-flowered forms of Freesia corymbosa. Modern tetraploid cultivars offer a broad colour range from white, yellow and pink through to red and blue-mauve. Commercial cultivation is centred largely in the Netherlands, where around 80 specialist growers supply the global floristry market. The flowers are a staple of wedding bouquets and are also prized for their distinctive scent, which is widely used in perfumery, hand creams, shampoos, and candles.
Etymology
The genus Freesia was first described in 1866 by the South African botanist Christian Friedrich Ecklon and formally established as Freesia Eckl. ex Klatt, published in Linnaea 34: 672. It is named in honour of Friedrich Freese (1795–1876), a German botanist and medical practitioner.
Distribution
Freesia is native to the eastern side of southern Africa, with its range extending from Kenya in the north to South Africa in the south. The majority of species are concentrated in the Cape Provinces of South Africa, where the fynbos and renosterveld biomes provide the winter-rainfall conditions the genus favours.
Cultivation
Cultivated freesias are hybrids derived chiefly from Freesia refracta and Freesia leichtlinii, with selections from Freesia corymbosa contributing pink and yellow tones. Crosses were first made in the 19th century, and modern breeding has produced tetraploid cultivars with flowers spanning white, yellow, pink, red, and blue-mauve. The plants can be readily increased from seed. Commercial production is concentrated in the Netherlands, where approximately 80 specialist growers supply the global cut-flower industry. Freesias are also valued for their fragrance, which is widely used in perfumes, hand creams, and candles. Freesia laxa (formerly Anomatheca cruenta) is a smaller, flat-flowered species also commonly grown as an ornamental.
