Rhodoxis Abigail

×Rhodoxis 'Abigail' is a small South African bulbous perennial, prized for its long flowering period, producing small bright pink star-shaped flowers with a lighter centre. A carpeting plant, it forms dense cushions in rockeries, troughs and planters. This variety requires a position in full sun and very well-drained soil, moist during the growth period and drier in winter. With its miniature alpine plant appearance and floriferous nature, it is perfectly suited to a container on a terrace.

Botanically, Rhodoxis 'Abigail' belongs to the Hypoxidaceae family. The ×Rhodoxis genus comprises hybrids between Rhodohypoxis and Hypoxis, two small South African bulbous plants adapted to hot, rainy summers and drier winters. In commerce, it is still sometimes found under the name Rhodohypoxis baurii ‘Abigail’.
The plant develops into a very tight, small clump. The deciduous foliage appears in spring as narrow, linear, medium to bright green, slightly downy leaves, 8 to 12 cm long. In autumn, the vegetation dries up and disappears: the plant overwinters as small, fleshy rhizomes which act as storage organs. Above the carpet of leaves, slender flowering stems bearing one or two flowers emerge. They reach 10 to 15 cm, just enough to hold the flowers above the foliage.
The star-shaped flowers have six tepals, three slightly wider than the others, with a diameter of 2 to 3 cm. In ‘Abigail’, their colour is a bright pink, tending towards rosy red, which lightens towards the centre to a very pale pink, almost white, around a small ring of yellow stamens. This lighter centre gives the corollas great depth, especially when the plant is covered in flowers. Flowering lasts from May to August, or even a little longer in mild climates or in a well-watered pot during summer. During the flowering period, the buds open and close depending on light and temperature, as with other Rhodoxis.
Winter dormancy is important for this bulb: the substrate must remain almost dry in winter, especially in humid climates. The hardiness of this variety is around –5 to –7 °C. In regions with harsh winters, container cultivation is recommended, with overwintering in a frost-free, bright shelter.

These small bulbous plants are sometimes nicknamed “star grass”, as their carpets of flowers dot the mountain prairies in their native lands. In a rockery, Rhodoxis Abigail creates a very floriferous ribbon, between two stones or along a sunny step. In a trough, it can accompany Lewisia cotyledon ‘Elise’ mix, its changing hues harmonising with its bright pink. In a cooler setting, it can be surrounded by Campanula cochlearifolia ‘Bavaria Blue’, which scatters blue bells above the carpet. Nearby, a pink Armeria juniperifolia and a deep red Sedum spurium 'Woodoo' enrich the scene, playing on textures and foliage. In a container, these combinations create a small alpine garden that can easily be moved to shelter when winter arrives.