Family: Liliaceae
Habitat: Africa, Asia, Mediterrean zone.
Cultivation: Substrate well-drained, temperatures never below 10ºC, and put it in half shade!
Curiosity: This genus is now grouped, along with Litanthus, Rhodocodon and Schizobasis, into a macrogenus called Drimia.

KEY FEATURES

Urginea is a genus of deciduous plants with flashy flowers growing from the bulb. This genus is now grouped, along with Litanthus, Rhodocodon and Schizobasis, into a macrogenus called Drimia.

Drimias are widespread throughout the whole of Africa. They are also present in Asia and the Mediterranean areas, usually in regions with a dry season.

Drimia are usually deciduous or, more rarely, evergreen. The bulbs grow underground or on the surface and are often large, brown or grayish, covered by a hard and thick membrane of which the layers are visible already on the surface, and sometimes look like stones. From the bulbs develops a “tuft” of intense green leaves, elongated and linear, sometimes cylindrical, and no stem, at least until the flowering phase, when the leaves dry up completely to make way for the development of the floral scape, a green stem of variable height that carries the inflorescence.

The inflorescence, by botanical definition, should be counted as an ear: in practice it is almost a terminal and conical “cluster” of beautiful flowers, often with white petals and a purplish line that divides them in half. These blooms can also be impressive and exceed 40 centimeters!

VARIETY AND TYPES

Here below are a few species of Urginea. Check our online store to find out more!

• Urginea acarophylla
• Urginea cooperi
• Urginea epigea
• Urginea longicollis
• Urginea patens

TIPS FOR GROWING

The cultivation of Urginea is not so difficult, but you need patience: they grow very, very slowly.

• Put it in half shade: pay attention to the abrupt transitions from shade to direct light.
• Better to keep it in pot indoors, as it will start to have problems with temperatures below 10ºC.
• During the growing season water it moderately, waiting for the soil to dry up before each new watering. After flowering, when the flower stalk starts to dry out, gradually reduce watering until Winter: start again when the sticks start to develop again at the end of Winter or in Spring.
• They require a well-drained soil with a strong organic component, where the bulb can be planted underground or simply leaned on the surface: it will in any case be able to root.

Propagation can occur either by seed or by bulbs. Propagation by bulb is obviously the simplest and most used.