Plant Name
Crocosmia 'David Fitt'     Click Here for Photograph

Bred By
David and Colleen Fenwick,
The African Garden,
96 Wasdale Gardens,
Estover, Plymouth,
Devon.
PL6 8TW.
Telephone / Fax: 01752 301402
E-mail: Click Here

Bred
July 1999

Parentage
Seed parent Crocosmia 'Zeal Giant' bred by Terry Jones of Zeal Monachorum Devon,
England. Pollen donor Crocosmia 'Lucifer' bred by Alan Bloom, Blooms of Bressingham, Diss, Norfolk, England, in 1966.

It must be noted that both parents have provenance, and both were obtained from the breeders. Crocosmia 'Lucifer' originating from stock held since its 1966 breeding.

Height
130cm, but could attain more under better conditions.
Actual height could be between 150 and 180cm.

Habit
A tall, erect, sturdy Crocosmia of original C. paniculata and C. masoniorum parentage, ie. a 'maspan' hybrid. Habit similar to C. 'Lucifer', but with slightly broader foliage.

Leaves
Pleated, mid-green, similar to 'Lucifer' but slightly wider.

Flowers
Zygomorphic. 50mm (2 inches), top to bottom. 40mm wide. Length 55mm.
Orange / Orange-red on three higher segments, three lower segment red-orange.
Deep red throat markings similar to 'Zeal Giant', these markings diffuse through the full length of the lower segments. Yellow throat. Carmine blush. Reverse, orange suffused
orange-red, yellow tail. Buds, dark red, green-yellow at base.

Upper Segment - 28mm x 16mm
Upper Pair - 21mm x 9mm
Lower Pair - 24mm x 12mm
Lower Segment - 19mm x 7.5mm

Length of Infloresense (First to last flower)
190 - 230mm

Flowering Time
Mid - Late July - (Early August)

Scapes
Very strong and thick, of a deep red-purple colour, divided, with two sub-branches.
One of the most unusual and attractive features of the plant. Farinose. Branching angle,
30 degrees.

Other Comments
Drought resistant and frost hardy. Could be a good seed donor for other crosses of the type due to the deepness of colour of the scape. Crosses with yellow C. masoniorum hybrids such as Walberton Yellow, Rowallane, or Jenny Bloom could produce plants of some merit.

Named after David Fitt by David and Colleen Fenwick on meeting with the Fitt Family at The Norwich in Bloom, Crocosmia Identification Day, held at The Assembly Rooms, Norwich, Norfolk, 20th July 2002.

David is the son of Jack Fitt, Head Garden of Earlham Hall 1916 - 1926 and Breccles Hall 1926-, and breeder with Sydney Morris and George Henley, of The Earlham Giant
Montbretia.

Of three sons, Peter, John Alan and David, David is the only son not to have a Crocosmia or Montbretia named after him. Indeed, both brothers have Earlham Giants named after them.

This Crocosmia has been named after David Fitt to address the balance; unlike the Earlham Giants, it is hoped that this Crocosmia will survive the test of time given its hardier parentage. In naming this hybrid David Fitt it is also hoped that attention and publicity will be given to finding the Montbretia named after Peter, bred in 1924 and John Alan, bred in 1926, his brothers.