Candelabrum Lily – 1 Plant

Candelabrum Lily (Albuca nelsonii) is mostly found in specialist collections, therefore it is not often seen in gardens. Yet it has attractive flowers, and it is considered a good garden plant.

Family: Hyacinthaceae

Common names: Nelson’s slime lily (Eng.), umaphipha (Zulu), intelezi (Xhosa). = Ornithogalum nelsonii (N.E.Br.) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt

This robust, evergreen, bulbous perennial grows in clumps and is 60-120 cm high when in flower. The leaves are strap-shaped and rather sappy. Its flowers are white with green stripes, 25-35 mm long, and borne on a long, more or less erect pedicel. The flowers has a strong sweet scent.  Several to many flowers are arranged in a raceme with a stout, erect, naked peduncle. The most characteristic feature of the genus is the shape of the flower. The outer 3 tepals spread out like any normal flower, but the inner 3 stay more or less closed. The flowers are produced from September-November. The large, fleshy bulb is partially exposed above the ground.

Albuca nelsonii is well suited to mass plantings in flower borders or on rockeries, especially in informal gardens.

Growing Candelabrum Lily

• Can be grown in containers or directly in the garden.
• The plant requires sandy, loose soil in full to partial sun to produce their characteristic blooms.
• Fertilizing is not required, but if you want, you can fertilize the plants annually in the early spring with a good, all-purpose bulb food.
• Cut back spent foliage after it yellows and begins to wilt.
• The plant is drought tolerant once established.
• With its strong root system and partially exposed bulbs the species grows well on rockeries and in pots or other containers.