Moraea elegans has been successfully cultivated at Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden for many years and its seeds are regularly available to South African members of the Botanical Society of South Africa.

Although endangered in its natural habitat, Moraea elegans is an easily cultivated plant. The corms are planted in autumn at a depth of about 3 cm in a freely draining medium such as equal parts of river sand and finely sifted, well-decomposed compost. The plants like a very sunny aspect and are most successfully cultivated under cover in deep bulb beds or deep plastic containers with a diameter of 30 cm. In temperate climates they can also be grown in rock garden pockets that are securely lined with wire mesh to exclude moles. In cold climates of the northern hemisphere, they are suited to cultivation in the cool greenhouse and must receive bright light for as much of the day as possible. Regular heavy drenching of the growing medium is required during winter and spring, but the corms must be kept completely dry throughout the summer dormant phase.

This species is easily raised from fresh seeds (those harvested during the previous summer season) sown in late autumn in deep seed trays, pots or directly into deep seed beds, in the same medium recommended for mature corms. Seeds should be sown at a depth of 3-4 mm and care should be taken not to sow too thickly to prevent overcrowding and reduce the risk of loss to damping-off fungi. Germination takes place within four to five weeks and seedlings should be allowed to grow undisturbed for two seasons before planting out into permanent positions at the beginning of their third season, during which they will flower for the first time, if well grown.

In the southern hemisphere the flowering period extends from mid August to late September. The flowers open fully on warm, still days but remain partially closed in cold, cloudy weather. The individual blooms are rather short-lived, each flower lasting only three days, but a succession of blooms is produced by the same plant over a three to four week period.

Moraea elegans is not especially susceptible to pests and diseases although the leaves are eaten by slugs and snails and the undersides of the leaves can fall prey to attack by red spider mites as temperatures rise in late spring. Fungal rotting of the corms occurs when they have not been dried out sufficiently during the summer months.