Tulbaghia alliacea

Tulbaghia alliacea is a geophyte belonging to the Amaryllidaceae family. The species is native to Botswana, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Description

An onion family plant. It is a herb and forms clumps. It has a swollen rhizome up to 10 cm long and keeps growing from year to year. It grows up to 45 cm tall. The leaves are like straps. They form a ring at the base. They are 15-20 cm long and 1 cm wide. The flowers are in groups of 10-20. The flowers are olive green. They have an orange centre. The fruit is a capsule. it is 8 mm long. The seeds are triangle shaped and flat. They are black.

Edible Uses

The bulb is edible cooked. Leaves and stems can be cooked like spinach or chopped finely and used as a relish. The flowers are regarded as a delicacy by native Zulu women.

Traditional Uses

The leaves and stems and cooked and eaten. They are also finely chopped and seasoned with salt and used as a relish. The young leave are added to soups, stews and pickles. The bulbs are cooked and eaten. The flowers are eaten.

Medicinal Uses

None known

Distribution

It is a tropical and subtropical plant. It can grow in most soils.

Where It Grows

Africa, Australia, Botswana, East Africa, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa*, Southern Africa, Swaziland, Zambia, Zimbabwe,

Cultivation

Requires a well-drained soil in a sunny sheltered position. This species is hardy in the mildest areas of Britain, tolerating temperatures down to about -5°c. However, it is in leaf during the winter and so is best grown with some protection such as a cold greenhouse or conservatory. Plants grow from a cluster of small bulbs attached to a basal plate that is sometimes regarded as a rhizome. The flowers are very fragrant at night. Another report says that they have an unpleasant smell. The whole plant has a powerful aroma of garlic.

Propagation

Seed is best sown as soon as it is ripe in the greenhouse. Stored seed should be sown in early spring in the greenhouse. Prick seedlings into individual pots once large enough to handle and grow on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. If planting outdoors, this is best done in late summer when the plants are dormant. Dormant plants can also be divided in late summer.

Other Uses

None known Special Uses Scented Plants

Other Information

It is a minor vegetable used as a relish.

Notes

There are 22 Tulbaghia species. They are tropical from southern Africa. Also put in the families Alliaceae and Liliaceae.

Synonyms

Also Known As

Inisili, Isikhwa, Isikwa, Moelela, Negoje, Sikwa, Wilde knoflook

References (13)

• Facciola, S., 1998, Cornucopia 2: a Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, p 7
• Fowler, D. G., 2007, Zambian Plants: Their Vernacular Names and Uses. Kew. p 85
• Fox, F. W. & Young, M. E. N., 1982, Food from the Veld. Delta Books. p 254
• Grubben, G. J. H. and Denton, O. A. (eds), 2004, Plant Resources of Tropical Africa 2. Vegetables. PROTA, Wageningen, Netherlands. p 537
• Long, C., 2005, Swaziland's Flora - siSwati names and Uses http://www.sntc.org.sz/flora/

More from Amaryllidaceae

Allium ovalifolium

Allium paepalanthoides

Allium pallens

Allium paniculatum

Mediterranean onion, Pale garlic

Allium paradoxum

Few-flowered leek

Allium pendulinum

Italian garlic