Care of the bulbous plant Albuca bracteata or Pregnant onion |
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The Albuca genus, of the Asparagaceae family, comprises more than 60 species of bulbous plants native to southern and eastern Africa. Some species are: Albuca bracteata, Albuca spiralis, Albuca fastigiata, Albuca humilis, Albuca shawii. Common names: Pregnant onion, False sea onion, Sea-onion. This species is native to South Africa. They are bulbous plants that have a large bulb that usually produces bulbils and stands out from the ground; they reach 90 cm (2.95 feet) in height when it blooms. The leaves are lanceolate and ribbed; They measure up to 60 cm (1.96 feet) in length. The flowers are small, white, scented and appear in inflorescences above the leaves. They bloom from mid-spring to mid-summer. They are used in pots as indoor, greenhouse or terrace plants. Albuca bracteata prefers a semi-shade or filtered light exposure, always avoiding direct sun in the middle of the day. They can resist frost of up to -5 ºC (23 ºF). The soil should drain well but also retain moisture for which a commercial cactus substrate is recommended to which peat will be added. Transplanting in early spring if the pot is too small. To irrigate, wait until at least the soil surface has dried before watering. If they suffer prolonged drought they enter rest. They do not need fertilizations but it is convenient to renew the substrate when they are transplanted. They do not need pruning. They are plants of easy cultivation and resistant to the usual pests and diseases. They propagate from the separation of the bulbils produced by the mother plant or from seeds sown in spring. |
Images of the bulbous plant Albuca bracteata or Pregnant onion |
 Albuca bracteata  Albuca bracteata  Albuca bracteata |