Tulbaghia violacea Flamingo

Tulbaghia 'Flamingo' is a delightful variety of hybrid Tulbaghia that stands out with bright pink stems and particularly decorative ribbon-like foliage, brilliantly coloured acid green with a purplish-pink base. Delicate umbels of pinkish-purple star-shaped flowers that appear in summer add to its charm. Ornamental and culinary, the plant has a strong garlic scent, from its tuberous roots to its leaves. With its pink agapanthus-like appearance and pink and acid green grass-like leaves, it thrives in mild climates when planted in the ground, but can also be grown in containers and stored indoors during the winter in less temperate regions.

Tulbaghia Flamingo belongs to the Alliaceae family, just like leeks, garlic, and onions. This variety was recently obtained in South Africa through self-pollination of the 'Kilimanjaro' cultivar. Its wild ancestor, called Tulbaghia violacea, is native to South Africa, specifically the meadows of Lesotho and Swaziland, which have rather dry winters and rainy summers. It is a perennial herbaceous plant with fleshy tuberous roots that form a clump of thin, ribbon-like leaves, which are more or less evergreen depending on the winter temperature, and it offers a long summer flowering period. The rootstock can withstand temperatures as low as -10°C (14°F) in dry soil.

Tulbaghia 'Flamingo' develops quite rapidly into an upright clump that slightly widens over time through its rhizomes. The flowering plant measures approximately 45-50 cm (18-20in) in height and 25-30 cm (10-12in) in width. Its flowering occurs, depending on the climate, from April-May to July-August. In our slightly humid regions in summer, it can flower from June to August in successive waves. Clumps of leaves emerge from the bright pink floral stems at the base, bearing false umbels of tubular flowers that open into 6-petaled star shapes in pinkish-purple. The flowers emit a sweet honey scent, but it is overpowered by the garlic smell that emanates from the entire plant. They are followed by the formation of seeds that can self-sow. The foliage is thin, narrow, upright, linear, and green-yellow in colour, tinged with purplish-pink at the base. Although upright, it is flexible enough to slightly arch. It is highly aromatic and emits a powerful garlic scent that can be detected several metres away in warm weather.

Tulbaghia Flamingo is a colourful, decorative plant even outside of its flowering period, offering an unusual touch of colour to the garden or patio. Along borders or pathways, or in a rockery, it can replace agapanthus or be planted alongside them, choosing from the more compact varieties (Agapanthus Silver Moon, Golden Drop, Pitchoune, etc.). However, if the scent bothers you, plant it slightly further away. This powerful garlic scent repels harmful insects such as aphids and also has fungicidal properties. Therefore, Tulbaghia violacea is useful in the vegetable garden and orchard to protect carrots, lettuce, beets, and peach trees, as well as in ornamental gardens.

As it is quite sensitive, especially in damp soil during winter, it is often preferable to cultivate Tulbaghia Flamingo in pots, 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 a few flowers. It is a good seaside plant that tolerates sandy soils and sea spray. The most favourable climate for it is a mild oceanic climate. In Mediterranean regions, it will require regular watering in summer.