Mature size & growth rate

How big does Angel's Fishing Rod (Dierama pulcherrimum) get?

Also called Angel's fishing rod, Wand flower, Hairbell, African harebell.

More about angel's fishing rod

About Angel's Fishing Rod

Dierama pulcherrimum · also called Angel's fishing rod, Wand flower · flowering

Native to the montane grasslands and stream margins of South Africa and Zimbabwe, Dierama pulcherrimum is an evergreen cormous perennial producing tall, arching wiry stems from which pendulous bell-shaped flowers dangle like fishing lines. It thrives in full sun in moist but well-drained soil and strongly resents being transplanted once established. The most important care rule is never to cut back healthy green foliage — this severely shocks the plant and inhibits flowering. It is not known to be toxic to cats or dogs.

Mature size: Up to 150 cm tall in flower, spreading to 60 cm wide over time.

Indoor size vs how big it gets in the wild

Angel's Fishing Rod stays fairly low but widens over time — it spreads into a bigger clump by offsets, runners or rhizomes rather than shooting upward. Indoors and in a pot, expect up to 150 cm tall in flower, spreading to 60 cm wide over time.. A pot, your light levels and a little pruning are what set the final size in a home, far more than the plant's theoretical potential.

Size here is about width, not height: the plant builds an ever-wider clump or sends out plantlets and runners while staying relatively short.

Growth rate and years to mature

Angel's Fishing Rod is a moderate grower. Realistically, expect three to six years to reach mature indoor size, gaining a steady amount each growing season. Its feeding profile backs this up: apply a balanced general-purpose fertiliser in early spring as new growth begins; a second application of a high-potassium feed in early summer supports flower production.

Want this turned into the right next pot at the right moment? The pot size calculator and the angel's fishing rod repotting guide cover when and how much to size up — pot size is one of the biggest levers on how fast angel's fishing rod grows.

How to keep angel's fishing rod smaller

You are not stuck with the maximum size. For angel's fishing rod specifically, these are the levers, in order of impact:

Divide the clump every year or two — splitting angel's fishing rod is the main way to control its spread and refresh it.
Remove runners, plantlets or offsets as they appear if you want it to stay a single tight clump.
Keep it slightly pot-bound; a snug pot naturally limits how wide the clump can get.

The keep-it-smaller method, step by step

Lift the whole plant. Slide angel's fishing rod out of its pot in spring when the clump has filled it.
Split the clump. Tease or cut the rootball into two or more sections, each with healthy roots and growth.
Repot one division. Put a single division back in the original pot to reset it to a smaller size; pot or give away the rest.
Remove offsets as they form. Through the year, detach new runners or pups to stop it spreading again.

How to grow angel's fishing rod bigger or faster

If you want it to fill the space sooner, push the conditions rather than hoping — for angel's fishing rod the accelerators are:

Give it a wider pot and let the clump fill it — width is exactly how this plant gets bigger.
Good light plus regular feeding maximises offset and runner production.
Leave plantlets and offsets attached and feed through the growing season for the fastest spread.

Light is almost always the ceiling. The angel's fishing rod light requirements page covers exactly how bright a spot it needs to grow at its potential instead of stalling.

When angel's fishing rod outgrows the room (or the pot)

"Too big" usually arrives as one of these signs for angel's fishing rod:

The clump bulging over the pot rim or splitting the pot — the cue to divide, not to find a bigger room.
A dense centre that goes bare or tired while the edges keep spreading.
Runners or offsets escaping across the shelf or into neighbouring pots.

If it is the pot rather than the room, it is a repotting job, not a goodbye — see the angel's fishing rod repotting guide. If you want more of this plant instead of a bigger one, the angel's fishing rod propagation guide turns prunings into new plants.

Angel's Fishing Rod size — frequently asked questions

How big does angel's fishing rod get?

Angel's Fishing Rod reaches up to 150 cm tall in flower, spreading to 60 cm wide over time. when grown indoors. Size here is about width, not height: the plant builds an ever-wider clump or sends out plantlets and runners while staying relatively short.

Is angel's fishing rod slow or fast growing?

Angel's Fishing Rod is a moderate grower. Expect three to six years to reach mature indoor size, gaining a steady amount each growing season. Angel's Fishing Rod stays fairly low but widens over time — it spreads into a bigger clump by offsets, runners or rhizomes rather than shooting upward.

How long does angel's fishing rod take to reach full size?

Roughly three to six years to reach mature indoor size, gaining a steady amount each growing season. Light, pot size and feeding move that timeline more than anything else.

How do I keep angel's fishing rod smaller?

Divide the clump every year or two — splitting angel's fishing rod is the main way to control its spread and refresh it. Remove runners, plantlets or offsets as they appear if you want it to stay a single tight clump. Keep it slightly pot-bound; a snug pot naturally limits how wide the clump can get.

How can I make angel's fishing rod grow bigger or faster?

Give it a wider pot and let the clump fill it — width is exactly how this plant gets bigger. Good light plus regular feeding maximises offset and runner production. Leave plantlets and offsets attached and feed through the growing season for the fastest spread.