Tulbaghia ‘Moshoeshoe’

Society Garlic Amaryllidaceae

A Tulbaghia with rather more going on than first meets the eye. ‘Moshoeshoe’ was selected by Paul Barney of Edulis Nursery from a batch of seedlings encountered at Wisley in 2003, and its combination of compact habit, handsome flowers and extraordinary evening fragrance made it impossible to ignore.

The foliage forms a neat clump of narrow, grey-green leaves, but it is the flowers — and particularly the perfume — that make this selection special. The deep lilac flowers have a conspicuous ochre-yellow eye and are carried on slender stems above the foliage. As evening approaches, however, the plant changes character, releasing a powerful, warm clove-like fragrance which can be quite remarkable on a still summer evening.

This perfume is an important clue to its likely ancestry. It is quite different from the familiar garlic-like odour associated with Tulbaghia violacea, and strongly suggests the influence of T. natalensis, a species noted for its distinctive evening fragrance. We therefore consider ‘Moshoeshoe’ very likely to involve T. natalensis in its ancestry, although no formal parentage appears to have been published and it is best not to pretend that the paperwork says more than it does.

The flowers are produced over a long period through summer and, given a sunny position and regular deadheading, can continue well into autumn. The compact habit makes it particularly useful towards the front of a border, in a gravel garden or grown in a pot where its evening perfume can be appreciated at close quarters.

Introduction & nomenclature: Tulbaghia ‘Moshoeshoe’ is a horticultural selection from seedlings, rather than a botanical variety. It was selected by Paul Barney of Edulis Nursery after being noticed amongst seedlings at Wisley in 2003. The cultivar was subsequently distributed through the specialist plant trade.

The name commemorates Moshoeshoe I (c.1786–1870), founder and first king of Lesotho. His name is particularly appropriate for a Tulbaghia, given the strong geographical and cultural associations between Lesotho and the southern African flora from which the genus originates.

Although it is sometimes labelled Tulbaghia violacea ‘Moshoeshoe’, we prefer Tulbaghia ‘Moshoeshoe’, since its precise parentage has not been formally established. The combination of flower colour and, especially, the intense clove scent makes a significant contribution from T. natalensis a very reasonable hypothesis.

Height: 25–30cm in flower
Spread: 30–40cm
Flowering: June–October
Fragrance: Strongly clove-scented, especially towards evening
Aspect: Full sun
Soil: Fertile but very well drained
Hardiness: Approximately H3–H4; best protected from prolonged hard frost and winter wet

A particularly good Tulbaghia for the evening garden, when the flowers become almost secondary to the perfume. Small, beautifully marked and apparently determined to smell like a spice cupboard after dark.