Albuca humilis | Dwarf albuca
€10,60
🌱 Morphology
A small bulbous plant that has chosen to live at ground level to go unnoticed. Barely one or two narrow, cylindrical leaves emerge from its bulb, while the inflorescence rises slightly above them with a delicacy that contrasts with the robustness of its underground organ. Its small size is precisely one of its greatest unique features.
It is a bulbous geophyte with a very low habit, reaching approximately 10 cm in height. It produces one or two narrow, cylindrical, dark green leaves that can reach about 20 cm in length. The inflorescence is short and typically bears between one and three flowers. The tepals are white with a marked green band on the outer surface; the three inner ones also feature yellow tips. The flowers emit an intense aroma described as resembling marzipan.
🌍 Distribution, habitat and family
It belongs to the Asparagaceae family and is native to South Africa, with a distribution from Free State to KwaZulu-Natal. It grows in rocky grasslands and mountainous environments, even on damp rocks and in very shallow soil accumulated between stones. Populations are known at altitudes of up to about 2,400 m, which explains its notable tolerance to low temperatures.
❄️ Temperature — USDA Zone 9b–11b
It tolerates minimum temperatures of up to −4 ºC in dry, well-acclimated specimens during brief exposures. The high altitude of part of its natural range allows it to withstand cold episodes, but it is especially important to keep the bulb dry during winter dormancy. The RHS places it in the H3 range, corresponding to approximate minimum temperatures of −5 to 1 ºC in British conditions.
☀️ Lighting
It needs abundant light to develop strong leaves and promote regular flowering. A very bright exposure is recommended, even in full sun once the plant is acclimated. During active growth, an accumulated daily light integral of approximately 18–25 mol/m²/day (DLI PAR) can be used as a reference.
💧 Growth cycle and irrigation
Summer growth and winter rest. In its natural habitat, it develops leaves and flowers during the warm months, approximately from November to January, while it enters dormancy during the winter. During the active period, it is recommended to water abundantly and allow the substrate to dry out completely before the next watering. At the end of the cycle, the foliage gradually disappears, and the bulb should be kept dry during winter dormancy.
🌸 Flowering
It blooms mainly during the austral summer, between November and January in its natural habitat. The flowers are white, with a green band on the outer tepals and small yellow markings on the inner ones. In addition to their delicate appearance, they stand out for their intense sweet aroma, similar to marzipan.
🌿 Nutrition
During the active growth period, a specific fertilizer for succulents with a high content of assimilable calcium, such as Desert CHOICE® Succulents, is recommended, applied once a month when watering.
This is an inimitable xerophyte grown in Madrid in a high-tech square pot with the substrate activated with mycorrhizal fungi and biofungicides.
9x9 cm gourmet black pot
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