freesia, noun

Forms:
Also freezia, friezia, and with initial capital.
Origin:
Modern LatinShow more Modern Latin, named for F.H.T. Freese.
Any of several sweetly-scented species of flowering plants of the genus Freesia of the Iridaceae, especially F. alba and F. refracta.
Note:
Hybrids of the genus are now cultivated worldwide in a great variety of colours.
1882 Garden (U.K.) 4 Feb. 73Freesias.
1895 Horticulture: Guide to Amateurs (Smith Bros.) 88Dahlias, Freesias, Gladiolus.
1917 R. Marloth Dict. of Common Names of Plants 141Freesia refracta,..Buttercup, freesia.
1971 Evening Post 5 June 5Few realise that freesias are indigenous to the Cape, and were distributed for world-wide delight by early colonists.
1986 A. Batten Flowers of Sn Afr. 181Because Freesias come into bloom early and because of their long-lasting quality as cut flowers,..a great many modern hybrids..are available.
1989 Motorist 3rd Quarter 23Many flowers which today are cultivated in the hot-houses of the world far from their country of origin, among them pelargoniums, gladioli, strelitzia, arum lilies, freesias [etc.].
1994 E. Prov. Herald 26 Mar. 9Freesia: The fragrance is exquisite.
1994 M. Wasserfall in S. Afr. Garden & Home Sept. 4How wonderful are the Namaqua daisies, the freesias, sparaxis, bobbejaantjies, felicias and all the other colourful flowers that greet us at this time.
Any of several sweetly-scented species of flowering plants of the genus Freesia of the Iridaceae, especially F. alba and F. refracta.
Entry Navigation

Visualise Quotations

Quotation summary

Senses

18821994