Lachenalia bulbifera
Cape cowslip
Also known as Lachenalia pendula, Lachenalia bifolia
- Height × spread
- 0.25m × 0.25m
- Position
- Full sun
- Hardiness
- Frost free greenhouse 1C & above (RHS H2)
- Flowers
- Winter, Autumn
Availability
Please ask in store about availability
Many plants are seasonal. Call 01234 567890 to check current stock.
About this plant
Delightful South African plants, too tender to overwinter out of doors, but happy grown in a pot. In South Africa it will be in flower in winter and the blooms will last to spring when the foliage dies down and they become dormant for the summer season. The blooms are tubular, held on fleshy green upright stems and borne freely. The flowers are closely packed, downturned, coloured in shades of pink, red or even yellow. The tip of the tube flares slightly open and have subtle green and purple stripes or shades. The leaves are arching and strappy, green, or green with brown mottling on the surface. The leaves may occasionally grow bulbils on their leaf margins. This stands around 25cm (10in) in height with an equivalent spread.
- Flower colour
- Pink, Red, Yellow
- Foliage colour
- Green
- Variegated
- No
- Scent
- No
- Shape
- Cube
- Height
- 0.25m
- Spread
- 0.25m
- Season of interest
- Autumn, Winter
- Flowers in
- Winter, Autumn
- Evergreen
- Deciduous
- Garden style
- Indoors, Exotic garden, Conservatory
- Sun or shade
- Likes full sun
- Soil type
- Loam (normal)
- Soil pH
- All types
- Drainage
- Well drained soil
- Hardiness
- Frost free greenhouse 1C & above (RHS H2)
- Borders & containers
- Borders and containers
- Hazards
- No
- Pet safe
- Yes – listed in our pet-safe plants
AutumnNow
Autumn · Planting
Remove offsets to create new plants
Offsets are small plants or shoots that develop around the parent plant. They should have developed a root system of their own before they are detached. They can be planted directly, or grown in pots if so small they could be 'lost' in the garden.
Spring
Spring-Autumn · Outdoors
Feed a general fertiliser
Give a general purpose feed two or three times during the growing season, preferably not within a month of its end so the plant isn't encouraged to make fresh young growth.
Where food elements are listed as three numeric values on the label representing in order Nitrogen(N)-Phosphorus(P)-Potassium(K), with percentage values for each, choose one where the values are more or less equal.
Spring-Winter · Outdoors
Lachenalia watering regime
Water regularly in growth, as leaves fail reduce watering and leave virtually dry during summer dormancy, giving just a tiny amount of water. The plant is best kept in a cool position while dormant. In autumn recommence watering as growth restarts.