Tulbaghia Information

These little known evergreen and deciduous plants were originally named after Ryk Tulbagh, a Dutch Governor on the Cape of Good Hope who died in 1771.

We at Hoyland Plant Centre are more known for our Agapanthus collection and for the exhibits we display at most of the Northern Shows. Over the last six years we have included in our Agapanthus exhibits several species of Tulbaghia. We have noticed an increasing customer interest in other varieties of Tulbaghia.

We have now a collection of over forty species and cultivars and through propagation from division, we can offer twenty-three varieties for sale, because they are vegetative divisions all are true to type.

All varieties eventually form neat clumps of grass like leaves from which the flowers appear on long stems. Most Tulbaghia’s have small very attractive orchid type flowers in clusters, other look like clusters of tiny daffodils. They have an extended flowering period from May to September. Some have an aroma of garlic when the leaves are bruised, other are beautifully scented, especially early evening and in the morning.

They have few essential requirements and are easy to grow. They flower in their second year from division, if a flower stem is cut off after the cluster of flowers have faded this stimulates more and more flower stems to appear May - November.

All Tulbaghia’s need a well drained soil/compost, we use a mixture of one third garden soil, one third compost and one third either grit sand or perlite. They grow well in terracotta containers, so lending themselves for patio and gravel garden cultivation, even preferring a gravel mulch which gives them frost protection in winter and prevents excessive drying out in summer.

All varieties grow well in containers, some varieties are hardy and can be planted in the rockery or a small border permanently, other more tender varieties can be grown in containers and easily moved into a cold glasshouse or cold frame for winter protection.

If tulbaghia’s are grown in the garden, cut of their leaves to about 3cm above ground level in mid November and cover with a deep 6 cm mulch of peat. Feed with a high potash plant food, once in April, June, July and August and once with a balanced plant food in September.

If Tulbaghia’s are grown in containers, feed as above, place in full sun and water when required, keeping the compost moist. Unlike Agapanthus the Tulabghia’s need splitting every third year and re-planting or re-potting, this operation keeps them young and vigorous and stimulates flower production. The rarely suffer any peat or disease problems.

Only the variegated Tulbaghia ‘Silver Lace’ and the green leaf Violacea are available now and again in the larger Garden Centres,. Because Tulbaghia’s are rare in cultivation, information on them is very sparse . If you have any question, I will be happy to answer them.

Our Mail order plants are all single headed vegetative divisions which guarantees you get exactly what you ordered. Tulbaghia’s are exactly like Agapanthus in the respect that they cross pollinate easily, the resulting seedlings are not all true to type and so should not be sold under a given name, most seedlings will grow and make decent plants resembling one or both parent plants.