Freesia is a deciduous flower that grows in autumn to winter, flowers in spring and dormant in summer. Freesia is endemic to southern Africa and consists of 16 species.

The genus Freesia is named after Dr Friedrich Heinrich Theodor Freese (died 1876), a German physician from Kiel.

Freesias are very popular plants, grown for their usually strongly scented flowers. Over 110 million stems of freesia are sold in the UK each year. It also makes a wonderful pot plant, or can be grown permanently outdoors.

Though the first two species of freesia were cultivated in Europe in 1766, it was only in 1866 that Freesia was described as a distinct genus. Initially it was mistakenly referred to Gladiolus or Ixia.

Unlike most other flowers, where the white forms are scented highly, in freesia pink and red varieties smell stronger.

Freesias must be kept away from fruit and vegetables because they are very sensitive to the ethylene gas emitted by the fruits and veggies. This gas makes freesias’s head droop.