Tulbaghia montana

Mountain Wild Garlic Amaryllidaceae

A relatively uncommon and very attractive South African wild garlic, Tulbaghia montana forms a clump of narrow, somewhat fleshy, grey-green leaves from a bulbous, rhizomatous rootstock. In summer it produces upright flowering stems topped with umbels of the characteristic Tulbaghia flowers, each with six tepals and a small central corona. The flowers are followed by rounded seed capsules, and like many members of the genus the foliage is garlic-scented when bruised.

Unlike the familiar T. violacea, this is a plant of mountain grassland and open subtropical vegetation, occurring from the Eastern Cape through KwaZulu-Natal and extending into Lesotho. Kew currently accepts T. montana as a distinct species; it was described by Michele Vosa, with the name first published in Annali di Botanica in 1975 (publication appearing in 1977). 

The specific epithet montana means “of the mountains”, an appropriate name for a species associated with higher-altitude habitats. SANBI currently assesses it as Least Concern, although it remains much less familiar in cultivation than T. violacea. 

Growing conditions: Give T. montana full sun or very light shade and a fertile, humus-rich but sharply drained soil. It should have reasonable moisture while actively growing but should never be allowed to sit wet in winter. A raised bed, rock garden or gravelly border is particularly suitable in Britain. In colder areas, a winter mulch or protection from severe frost would be prudent.

Its mountain origin suggests that it should tolerate considerably more cold than some of the lowland Tulbaghia, but winter drainage is likely to be more important than absolute minimum temperature. It should make a useful subject for an unheated greenhouse or sheltered outdoor collection where conditions are wet or heavy.

Height: 30–50cm
Spread: 20–30cm
Flowers: Summer
Position: Full sun to light shade
Soil: Fertile, humus-rich and very well drained
Hardiness: Approximately H4–H5; best protected from prolonged winter wet
Growth: Mainly summer-growing, with a winter resting period

A choice species for the collector of South African bulbs, T. montana combines the familiar garlic-scented foliage of the genus with the considerably greater botanical interest of a relatively obscure mountain species.