The chains of corms are fragile and easily separated, a quality that has enabled some species to become invasive and difficult to control in the garden.

They have colourful inflorescences of 4 to 20 vivid red and orange alternate flowers on a horizontally divaricate (branched) stem.

The genus name is derived from the Greek words krokos, meaning "saffron", and osme, meaning "odour" – from the dried leaves emitting a strong smell like that of saffron (a spice derived from Crocus – another genus belonging to the Iridaceae) when immersed in hot water.

It was named by Alire Raffeneau Delile for Ernest Coquebert de Montbret [fr], a fellow French botanist on Napoleon's Egyptian Campaign.

[8] Species accepted by Kew Plants of the World Online:[1] Crocosmias are grown worldwide, and more than 400 cultivars have been produced.