South African Onion

Submitted by Hoy on Sun, 03/20/2011 - 04:31

Maybe this is something for the Onion Man!?
I bought this bulb in South Africa years ago but have lost the name. I think it is an Allium relative. Any suggestions?

It flowers after some months without water. I have not dared to try it outside in winter. It flowers for a couple of months.

Comments


Submitted by Mark McD on Sun, 03/20/2011 - 07:07

Trond, this is Tulbaghia simmleri (syn. fragrans)
http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/Tulbaghia

Tulbaghia is a small genus in the Alliaceae related to Allium, they're from South Africa. The flowers on this one should be very sweetly scented.  The bulbs and leaves (when bruised) smell strongly of skunk.  None are hardy that I know of, the hardiest being T. violacea, which takes some degree of freezing and is popular in California and milder southern climates.

More photos: The African Garden, by David Fenwick, Tulbaghia species
http://www.theafricangarden.com/tulbaghia_species_image_index.html
...and a page just for forms/cultivars of T. violacea
http://www.theafricangarden.com/tulbaghia_violacea_varietas_hybrid_inter...


Submitted by Hoy on Sun, 03/20/2011 - 12:10

Thank you Mark. At it is a Tulbaghia makes sense! It is similar in some ways to T violacea that I have - but I hadn't thought it to be the same genus! And the scent is very sweet indeed.
Thanks for the links too.


Submitted by Boland on Sun, 03/20/2011 - 17:09

I saw several Tulbaghia species in South Africa last November but none as tall as yours Trond.  I never smelled the flowers but the foliage was certainly garlic-like.