Tulbaghia violacea 'Alba'

RHS Plant Profile
white-flowered society garlic

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A clump-forming perennial to 60cm with corm-like rhizomes and tufted, aromatic, narrowly linear green foliage. Fragrant, pure white flowers appear on short stems above the foliage from mid-summer to early autumn. A more unusual and rarer to find variety

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.1-0.5 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
1–2 years
Max Spread
0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height
0.1-0.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Loam Sand
Moisture
Well–drained
pH
Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun
Aspect
South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

  • H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
  • H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
  • H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
  • H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
  • H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
  • H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
  • H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
  • H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
  • H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)
H3

Colour & Scent

Fragrance Flower Foliage
Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Amaryllidaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Clump forming, Tufted
Genus
Tulbaghia are bulbous or rhizomatous perennials with linear, onion-scented leaves and umbels of small, star-shaped flowers with a small cup-like corona
Name Status
Unresolved

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grows well in any moderately fertile, well-drained, loamy soil. Protect in all but the mildest areas over winter with a deep dry mulch or bring container grown plants into an unheated greenhouse

Propagation

Propagate by seed, sown when ripe, in containers in a cold frame or division in spring

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Coastal
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Gravel garden
  • Mediterranean climate plants
  • Patio and container plants
  • Conservatory and greenhouse
  • Flower borders and beds
  • Wall side borders

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

Generally disease-free