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This beautiful houseplant can only go outside in the summer, but you'll enjoy it even more indoors! The lance-shaped leaves grow from an (ever-growing) bulb, which is planted above ground. The clusters of 50-100 green-white flowers per stem betray its kinship with the Star-of-Bethlehem, Chincherinchee, and Asparagus Fern. It blooms in summer on sturdy stems 70-90 cm long.
Small bulbs spontaneously grow from the main bulb, so it has cloned babies... give the plant a bright spot, some sunlight is well tolerated, but keep it moist, otherwise the bulb will go dormant and drop its leaves. This dormancy period can be forced in winter by placing the plant in a cooler and drier spot.
The plant is not edible and is even slightly toxic or irritating. Baboons like to eat it, so humans can probably get used to it eventually... but don't try it! The plant grows wild in Southern and Eastern Africa.
Names:
Latin: Albuca bracteata, or also Ornithogalum longebracteatum
Dutch: Zwangere Ui (Pregnant Onion)
Also known as: Ornithogalum longebracteatum
English: Pregnant Onion
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