Tulbaghia is a small genus of about 20 species from southern Africa. The genus is very closely related to Allium, and thus a member of the Alliaceae family. Typically the Tulbaghia species are modest, unassuming plants with small flowers, grassy foliage, sometimes with a pungent skunky or alliaceous scent to the robust rhizomatous rootstalks as well as the foliage. A few species are reportedly hardy in the UK, such as Tulbaghia violacea, T. cominsii, T. acutiloba, T. natalensis, and T. montana, although most are rather tender and are best grown as warm greenhouse plants. Many species have intensely perfumed blooms, while at least one species exhibits a foetid aroma. A fascinating small genus worthy of greater attention. Be very careful to be sure of identification of any seed grown plants. Several seed exchanges list seed of various species of Tulbaghia that has turned out to be the weedy Nothoscordum gracile which is difficult to get rid of once turned loose in your garden. See Nothoscordum.
For those wanting to learn more about this unusual genus, visit Dave Fenwick's Tulbaghia page at The African Bulb Gallery. Dave is the keeper of The NCCPG National Plant Collection of Tulbaghia.
Tulbaghia acutiloba is found on dry rocky grassland in the Eastern Cape. It has green recurved flowers with a fleshy orange to reddish brown ring and is sweetly scented. Photo by Cameron McMaster.
Tulbaghia capensis is a winter rainfall species that has flowers scented at night that are brownish to purplish and green with an orange corona. The first photo from Cameron McMaster of plants found in the wild near Napier in the Overberg. The second photo from Andrew Harvie was taken at Tinie Versveld near Darling in the western Cape.
Tulbaghia cominsii is a very localised Eastern Cape species with starry white flowers that smell like cloves. It is confined to a few populations near King Williams Town where it grows between rocks in a dolerite outcrop. It is a good species for growing in a container. The first photo by Bob Rutemoeller of a pot in Dave Fenwick's garden and the second photo taken by Cameron McMaster.
Tulbaghia cominsii × violacea was grown from seed. This plant is long blooming at odd times of the year and looks a lot like the second hybrid described by Mark McDonough below. Photos by Mary Sue Ittner.
Tulbaghia dregeana is found in stony soils in Namaqualand, the northwest and southwest Cape into the western Karoo. It has cream to greenish yellow flowers with a cream or brown corona. The first two photos were taken by Nhu Nguyen in the UC Botanical Garden. The next two photos were taken by Bob Rutemoeller and Mary Sue Ittner in Namaqualand September 2006. The last two pictures were taken by Andrew Harvie south of Nieuwoudtville.
Tulbaghia galpinii is a tiny species with greenish-white to pinkish flowers. The picture is of a particular dark coloured flower. It starts growth in the spring and flowers early summer. The first photo was taken by Cameron McMaster. This plant is quick to bloom from seed and easy to grow, and as Mark McDonough said in a PBS list post, "For those who admire small and inconspicuous bulbous plants, this is IT!" The second photo was taken by Bob Rutemoeller.
Tulbaghia hybrid (possibly with T. rhodesica) being distributed as T. leucantha. It's a grassy-leaved plant, and lots of 6"-8" (15-20 cm) stems with sideways, few-flowered sprays of whitish flowers and protruding yellow coronas. The flowers have a foetid scent. Pot grown and flowering in June and July (new to my collection), photos by Mark McDonough. Please excuse my hand being in the photographs, it's a technique I use to focus on thin bulbous plants using digital cameras not designed for close-up photography where focus is a major obstacle.
Tulbaghia hybrid (probably one of the many forms of cominsii x violacea). A lovely Tulbaghia, with palest baby pink blooms and a deeper pink throat. Sorry, but my photos are washed out the blooms appear to be white. The graceful flowers are on stems 8"-9" (20-22.5 cm) tall, and are enticingly sweet-scented. Photos by Mark McDonough.
Tulbaghia ludwigiana a vigourous species found in highland grassland in the Eastern Cape. It has broad greenish grey strap-like leaves that are purple at the base and green to purple flowers with a colored fleshy ring and a strong sweet scent. Photo by Cameron McMaster.
Tulbaghia simmleri which has sometimes in the past been listed as Tulbaghia fragrans is one of the showiest species with strap shaped leaves. Found in the same areas in the wild as Clivia miniata it is sometimes called Sweet Garlic or Pink Agapanthus. It is sweet smelling and the leaves look a bit like Agapanthus leaves. It generally has light purple (lilac) flowers, but a white form exists, as does a pink one with a white corona. Planted in my Mediterranean garden where it probably doesn't have enough moisture in summer and maybe too much in winter, it still often blooms twice a year, in the spring and the fall. I've had the same plant for many years and it has never increased at all. Photos #1-2 by Mary Sue Ittner, #3 by Alessandro Marinello, and #4 by Nhu Nguyen at the UC Botanical Garden.
Tulbaghia violacea is an evergreen plant from the Southern and Eastern Cape. It is the species most often found in cultivation, both in containers and in the garden. It has mauve flowers which occur late summer into fall and smells strongly of garlic if you brush against it. Photos by Cameron McMaster and Mary Sue Ittner. The second plant pictured was grown from seed furnished by Dave Fenwick and is white.
