Tulbaghia maritima aka Tulbaghia Maritima

Tulbaghia maritima grows from bulbs and lives for more than one year. It comes from South Africa's southern Cape region. It is part of the Amaryllidaceae family. It grows in a subtropical climate. The RHS calls it sea society garlic. It is not native to Britain or Ireland. Older names include Tulbaghia cepacea var. maritima. Another is Tulbaghia violacea var. maritima.

The plant forms clumps and sheds its leaves each year. Its leaves are narrow and linear, with a glossy green surface. Both the leaves and flowers have a scent. The RHS gives a height of about 1.3 feet [0.4 metres]. Its size guide lists an upper height of 1.6 feet [0.5 metres]. Clumps can reach 1.6 feet [0.5 metres] across as well. Plants reach their full size in one to two years.

Lilac-pink flowers rise on tall stems above the leaves. They bloom from midsummer to the early part of autumn. These blooms add colour above the low clumps of leaves. The RHS suggests it for flower beds and borders. These include borders by walls, plus gravel and coastal gardens. It also lists courtyards and cottage gardens. Gardens with a Mediterranean climate are other sites it lists. The plant can grow in pots on a patio. It can also grow in conservatories or greenhouses.

Grow it in full sun, in a sheltered spot. The RHS lists sites that face south or west. Use loam or sand that lets water drain well. Loam with a fair level of nutrients suits it well. It grows in acid, neutral, or alkaline soil. The supplied advice covers soil from dry to moist. Water must drain well across this whole range. Its UK hardiness rating is H3, for mild or coastal areas. This covers low temperatures of about −5 to 1°C. Use deep, dry winter mulch outside the mildest areas. Move pots to a greenhouse with no heat for winter.

The plant does not need routine pruning. The RHS reports few pests and says disease is rare. To make more plants, split the clumps in spring. Or sow ripe seed in pots in a cold frame. The supplied sources give no facts on edible parts for this species. They do not state whether this species is toxic. They give no details on its fruit or what pollinates it.