B Is For Brunswigia

This beauty flowers in mid-March, but the letter “B” is now, so these are from last year.

The Brunswigia (often spelt Brunsvigia) is originally from South Africa. A mature bulb can be as big as a football. They can be quite expensive – I’ve seen prices up to $100 for one bulb.

You can find out more about Brunwigias over here. I'd love to know if anyone else is growing them.

They can take up to 14 years to flower from seed, and can sulk for seven years after being moved or transplanted.

It’s worth the wait.

This one flowered for us for the first time last year. It was a gift from a mad keen fellow gardener. RIP Alan D, one of Nature’s true gentlemen. You are remembered, especially when the Brunswigias flower.

B is also for Baby Brunswigias.

These seedlings are from seeds I collected from a different flower from the pink one above. Yes, we have two. I harvested twenty seeds, and nineteen germinated. That’s a pretty good strike rate. Now, if I can just keep them alive (and myself!) for the next fourteen years, to see them flower.

Gardeners have to be long-lived, to see what comes up!