Description
Albuca nelsonii (Hyacinthaceae) Nelson’s slime lily ( Eng. ), umaphipha (Zulu), intelezi (Xhosa). It is one of the biggest Albuca species and forms a robust evergreen plant that can reach 1m when in flower. The leaves are strap-shaped and the flowers are white with green stripes, and borne on a long, more or less erect pedicel. Several to many flowers are arranged in a raceme with a stout, erect, naked peduncle. The flowers are produced from early summer. Sowing: Fill a pot with a moist, gritty, loam-based compost. Gently firm down and level the surface. Scatter your seeds over the surface, taking care not to sow them too thickly. Gently sprinkle a thin layer of vermiculite or fine grit over the seeds, covering the whole surface of the compost. Leave the pot in a greenhouse or on a warm windowsill, covered with a clear plastic bag to preserve soil moisture. Seedlings will develop within a few weeks. Remove the plastic bag and water when the compost becomes dry, but spray the surface with water regularly, to keep it moist. Locality: Kei Mouth. Harvest: January 2014
