Bulbine narcissifolia

As the blue leaves of this species appear, it might be easy to mistake for a common Narcissus – strappy & blueish. It would be hard to mistake the flowers, though – dense, conical racemes of yellow flowers, white in bud, appear freely & over a long period from Spring into Summer. Blooming stems reach 2' or more, & the flowers are detailed with pipe cleaner-like anthers. Flowers are great cut, & have a strong perfume – actually very Narcissus-like! The plants have only a very brief dormancy in Winter, when they retreat to their tuberous roots. A sturdy perennial, but certainly not as aggressive as other Bulbines. Makes a one foot clump within the first year, & is very drought tolerant, though it will not suffer if watered regularly. From South Africa.

Claire Woods
Propagator