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Albuca bracteata
Albuca bracteata is a bulbous flowering plant from South Africa, grown mainly as a houseplant for its bulblets, which earned it the name pregnant onion. Give it bright light, well drained soil, and a dry rest in winter.
Albuca bracteata (syn. Ornithogalum longebracteatum), is known by the common names pregnant onion, false sea onion, and sea-onion. It is a species of bulbous flowering plant in the family Asparagaceae. Its flowering stems can reach a height of 90 cm and can carry up to 100 greenish white flowers.
Albuca bracteata is primarily grown as a houseplant. It is hardy to USDA zones of 9a-10b. The ornamental value of this plant is based on the formation of bulblets. The common name "pregnant onion" is due to the small adventitious bulblets that form from the initial bulb scales, which are likened to "babies". It is frost tender, and requires light well drained soil, and bright light, although intense heat and light can scorch tissues. Consistent watering is required for seed germination and survival. Mature plants will benefit from slight drying between waterings, although underwatering will induce dormancy. During the winter months this plant can be allowed to go dormant and the bulbs stored at cooler temperatures.
Albuca bracteata is native to South Africa (the Cape Provinces and KwaZulu-Natal). It is also found in tropical east Africa, where it may be native or introduced. It can be found growing in forests, forest margins, closed woodland and sheltered slopes. As of 2012, it had stable native populations with a conservation status of "least concern". It grows at altitudes of 0–300 m above sea level.
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Albuca bracteata by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
