Tulbaghia violacea Savannah Lightning

The Tulbaghia violacea 'Savannah Lightning' is an exceptionally bright selection of the violet tulbaghia, which charms with its pure white flowers. Over time, it forms a beautiful tuft of leaves from which numerous small umbels of star-shaped flowers emerge for long weeks. This aromatic bulbous plant is also used to enhance salads, like chives or garlic. Its foliage will persist in case of a not-too-cold winter, and it will flower almost all year round in mild climates. With its small agapanthus-like appearance, the Tulbaghia is ideal in flower beds and borders, allowing for very pretty flowering pots for the terrace or balcony.

The Tulbaghia violacea 'Savannah Lightning' belongs to the Alliaceae family, like leeks, garlic and onions. The wild form originates from South Africa, more precisely from the prairies of Lesotho and Swaziland, which benefit from relatively dry winters and rainy summers. It is a herbaceous perennial plant with a fleshy tuberous root forming a tuft of thin, ribbon-like leaves, more or less evergreen, depending on the winter temperature and offering a long summer flowering.

The cultivar ''Savannah Lightning' is a natural mutation of Tulbaghia var. maritima with white flowers, introduced in South Africa by Fisk Horticulture in 2016. This plant develops into a spreading tuft that widens through its rhizomes. When in bloom, it measures about 40-45 cm (16-18in) in height and 40 cm (16in) in width. Its flowering, which extends over a long period, starts, depending on the climate, in May (early June in average climates) and only ends with cold weather around October. In milder regions, it is capable of flowering almost all year round. Tufts of leaves emerge from the floral stems bearing false umbels of tubular flowers that open into 6-petaled stars around a centre with yellow stamens. The flowers exude a sweet honey scent, but it is overwhelmed by the garlic smell that emanates from the entire plant. They are followed by the formation of seeds that can self-sow but may not necessarily produce flowers identical to those of the mother plant. The foliage is delicate, narrow and erect, linear, grey-green in colour, yet flexible enough to arch slightly. It is highly aromatic and gives off a powerful garlic odour perceptible at a few metres in hot weather.

The Tulbaghia is a very pretty plant appreciated for its prolonged flowering until autumn. It allows adding colour to the garden or terrace during this period of the year that offers few blooms. Along a flower bed or pathway, or in a rock garden, it can replace agapanthus or be combined by choosing from the more compact varieties (Agapanthus Silver Moon, Golden Drop, Pitchoune...). If, however, its fragrance doesn't bother you. Otherwise, plant it a bit further back. This powerful garlic-like fragrance repels pests like aphids and also has fungicidal properties. The violet tulbaghia will, therefore, be useful in the vegetable garden and orchard to protect carrots, lettuce, beetroot, and peaches in ornamental gardens. As it is quite sensitive to cold, especially in moist soil during winter, growing it in a pot is often preferable, except in very mild climates. This plant thrives outdoors in summer, exposed to light but without direct sunlight. You can use finely chopped leaves in your salads or even some flowers. It is an excellent coastal plant; it accepts sandy soils and sea spray. The most favourable climate for it would be a mild oceanic type. In Mediterranean regions, it will require regular summer watering or may disappear in the medium term.