Tigridia Species, Mexican Shell Flower, Peacock Flower, Sacred Tiger Lily, Tiger Flower

Tigridiapavonia

Family
Iridaceae (eye-rid-AY-see-ee)
Genus
Tigridia (ty-GRID-dee-uh)
Species
pavonia (pav-ON-ee-uh)
Synonym
Moraea pavonia
Ferraria pavonia
Tigridia oxypetala
Tigridia lutea
Sun Exposure
Sun to Partial Shade
Foliage
Velvet/Fuzzy
Height
18-24 in. (45-60 cm)
Spacing
3-6 in. (7-15 cm)
Hardiness
USDA Zone 8a: to -12.2 °C (10 °F)
USDA Zone 8b: to -9.4 °C (15 °F)
USDA Zone 9a: to -6.6 °C (20 °F)
USDA Zone 9b: to -3.8 °C (25 °F)
USDA Zone 10a: to -1.1 °C (30 °F)
USDA Zone 10b: to 1.7 °C (35 °F)
USDA Zone 11: above 4.5 °C (40 °F)
Danger
N/A
Bloom Color
Pink
Magenta (pink-purple)
Red
Orange
Gold (yellow-orange)
Bright Yellow
Medium Purple
Maroon/Burgundy
White/Near White
Cream/Tan
Bloom Time
Late Spring/Early Summer
Other Details
Category
Bulbs
Perennials
Water Requirements
Average Water Needs; Water regularly; do not overwater
Foliage Color
Where to Grow
Grow outdoors year-round in hardiness zone
Can be grown as an annual
Bloom Characteristics
Bloom Size
Other details
Soil pH requirements
6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic)
6.6 to 7.5 (neutral)
7.6 to 7.8 (mildly alkaline)
Patent Information
Non-patented
Propagation Methods
By dividing rhizomes, tubers, corms or bulbs (including offsets)
From seed; direct sow outdoors in fall
Seed Collecting
Allow pods to dry on plant; break open to collect seeds
Properly cleaned, seed can be successfully stored
Regional

This plant is said to grow outdoors in the following regions:

Alameda, California

Canyon Country, California

Dixon, California

Eureka, California

Fremont, California

Huntington Beach, California

Inyokern, California

La Jolla, California

Marysville, California

Pearsonville, California

Sacramento, California

San Francisco, California

San Jose, California

Sebastopol, California

Vista, California(9 reports)

Trenton, Florida

Carrollton, Georgia

Jonesboro, Georgia

Mountain View, Hawaii

Olathe, Kansas

Topeka, Kansas

Lebanon, Maine

Mansfield, Massachusetts

Melrose, Massachusetts

Owosso, Michigan

Lincoln, Nebraska

Waverly, Nebraska

Brigantine, New Jersey

Cherry Hill, New Jersey

Yonkers, New York

Elizabeth City, North Carolina

Sanford, North Carolina

Winston Salem, North Carolina

Madison, Ohio

New Milford, Pennsylvania

Fair Play, South Carolina

Greer, South Carolina

Moore, South Carolina

Cleveland, Tennessee(2 reports)

Knoxville, Tennessee

Mc Donald, Tennessee

Austin, Texas

Fate, Texas

Houston, Texas

Marion, Texas

Mc Kinney, Texas

San Antonio, Texas

Willis, Texas

Aberdeen, Washington

Everett, Washington

Graham, Washington

Kalama, Washington

Lakewood, Washington

Port Townsend, Washington(2 reports)

Seattle, Washington

Vancouver, Washington

Walla Walla, Washington

Black Earth, Wisconsin

West Bend, Wisconsin

show all

Featured Videos

Gardener's Notes:

14
positives
8
neutrals
0
negative
Sort By:
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R
Winston Salem, NC (Zone 7a) | July 2021 | positive

I am in Zone 7, and these plants come back every year. I mulch in the fall.

F
| August 2017 | positive

I live in Scotland and have these beautiful red and yellow Tigridia flowers. First year it was just foliage, second year about 6 flowers ...Read More

C
ROSLINDALE, MA | September 2016 | neutral

Native to Mexico, which gets lots of rain in summer but is dry the rest of the year.

The Aztecs called them jaguar flower,...Read More

B
Yonkers, NY | February 2015 | positive

Zone7a....NY. Grows like a weed for me. Truly hardy pere
nnial.

A
Santa Clarita, CA (Zone 9b) | July 2014 | positive

Very beautiful. Rarely seen in person, yet pest free and easy to grow. Started blooming for me in early June after only nine weeks from...Read More

H
Shoreline, WA | August 2012 | positive

I live in Seattle Washington and planted my tigridia about three years ago. The first couple of years it had a few blooms that were tri-...Read More

E
Vancouver, WA (Zone 8b) | July 2012 | positive

I bought these in a packet of bulbs at a big box store. I didn't know what to do with them so stuck the little bulbs in the soil of plan...Read More

B
New Milford, PA | September 2010 | neutral

They are beautiful and very easy to grow. I bought mine on sale at a Christmas Tree Store for almost nothing at the closeout.

T
| August 2008 | positive

My favourite plant ever!! I first planted 20 of these bulbs last April (2007) & only got 3 blooms- but what blooms!! Im actually devast...Read More

P
Brigantine, NJ | July 2008 | positive

I live in Brigantine, NJ next to Atlantic City - (on the bay). My tigridia get full sun but is mixed well with acidanthera and glads, as...Read More

M
Inyokern, CA (Zone 8a) | August 2006 | positive

Bloomed a lot later than I expected. Soil here in the Mojave is very, very sandy, so all bulbs do well with plenty of water, as it drain...Read More

B
Trenton, FL | July 2006 | neutral

I have successfully grown this plant here in my zone 8b garden in North Florida for one season. I am planning to lift the bulbs and bring...Read More

J
Willis, TX (Zone 8b) | May 2006 | positive

I have enjoyed this flower so much..it is planted in full sun and had been popping up all over my garden..beautiful foliage as well...it'...Read More

S
San Antonio, TX | May 2006 | neutral

I planted bulbs of these plants approximately 6 weeks ago, at about 4 inches deep in containers. The bulbs have not produced any shoots ...Read More

G
Graham, WA (Zone 8a) | October 2005 | neutral

Planted in April. Bloomed in Sep-Oct. Beautiful flowers but only bloomed for a day.

M
Saint Paul, MN | October 2005 | positive

We have been growing these in Minnesota for many years. They are not hardy, but the bulbs are easily lifted by just yanking the whole pl...Read More

S
Saint Petersburg, FL (Zone 9b) | August 2005 | neutral

I wonder if this plant will grow in Florida, or whether it's too moist here?

spaceman_spiff

F
(Zone 8a) | August 2005 | positive

Very stunning and easy to grow - I've largely ignored these and they've bloomed spectacularly. Would be interested to test their frost-ha...Read More

H
H
San Antonio, TX (Zone 8b) | February 2005 | positive

I have 3 areas in which I have these. In one area, they are in containers of them. I had purchased them as bulbs (no growth on them). I...Read More

L
| June 2002 | positive

Actually much hardier than thought. Mine have survived to -4 degrees C. with 2-4 cm. frost heaving with no adverse effects. I once saw ...Read More

A
A
Jonesboro, GA (Zone 7b) | June 2002 | neutral

Very pretty 2-3" blossoms, but they only last one day. They come in many different colors and are not cold hardy north of zone 7 so corms...Read More

K
K
Bloomingdale, NJ (Zone 6a) | July 2001 | neutral

exotic member of the iris family with sword-like foliage and stunning 4" blooms of red, pink, and white with chocolate speckled throat. ...Read More

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