Ledebouria nitida | Karoo African hyacinth
€15,90
🌱 Morphology
Several small copper-colored onions gather to form a plant. Its true treasure remains partially hidden: large greenish and purple bulbs, covered by papery tunics that accumulate over the years. From them grow fleshy, smooth, green leaves, forming a rosette that contrasts with the almost mineral appearance of the bulb.
It is a bulbous geophyte that forms clusters of several bulbs, approximately 6–12 cm in diameter, partially exposed above the ground. The leaves, generally 5–10 per bulb, are fleshy, bright green, spotless, slightly striated, and with wavy margins. The inflorescences are erect and dense, reaching about 20 cm, with numerous small green and white flowers arranged along the floral stem.
🌍 Distribution, habitat, and family
It belongs to the Asparagaceae family, subfamily Scilloideae, and is native to the Eastern Cape province, South Africa, where it grows in semi-arid vegetation. It can be found both in full sun and partial shade under shrubs and trees. Its large bulbs act as storage organs and allow it to withstand long periods of low rainfall. Currently, Ledebouria concolor is considered a synonym of Ledebouria nitida by Kew, although the name L. concolor continues to be used in South African sources and in horticulture.
❄️ Temperature — USDA Zone 9b–11b
It tolerates minimum temperatures of down to −4 ºC in dry, well-acclimated specimens during brief exposures. During cold spells, the substrate must be kept dry, especially avoiding the combination of low temperatures and humidity.
☀️ Lighting
It needs plenty of light to maintain a compact rosette and favor the accumulation of reserves in the bulb. During active growth, an accumulated photosynthetically active radiation of approximately 18–25 mol/m²/day (DLI PAR) is recommended. It tolerates both direct sun and partial shade, although good lighting encourages more compact growth.
💧 Growth cycle and watering
Winter dormancy. Its main growth period occurs during the warm season. During this period, abundant watering is recommended, allowing the substrate to dry out completely before the next application. In winter, it enters dormancy and should be kept almost dry, reducing watering to very light and infrequent amounts.
🌸 Flowering
It produces several inflorescences per bulb, generally in early summer, although flowering can extend throughout the warm months depending on rainfall. The small flowers have green and white tepals, with yellow stamens protruding from the opening.
🌿 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 substrate activated with mycorrhizal fungi and biofungicides.
9x9 cm gourmet black pot
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