Orange bulbine (Bulbine frutescens)

Features and Characteristics

Bulbine frutescens, commonly called orange bulbine, stalked bulbine, or simply bulbine, is a herbaceous, succulent perennial native to river banks and sandy, coastal hillsides in South Africa. Mature plants can reach 1-5′ tall with an equal width and will form spreading colonies. The thickened, stout stems can reach up to 1′ long and are typically branched, bearing rosettes of leaves. The narrow, linear foliage reaches 6-9″ long and 0.25″ wide. Racemes of small, 6-petaled, yellow or pale orange flowers with frilly stamens are held on 2′ tall stalks from late spring into early summer with some reblooming in the fall.

Genus name comes from the Greek word bolbine the name of a bulbous plant which came from the Greek word bolbos meaning “bulb”.

The specific epithet frutescens means “shrubby”, in reference to the branched stems and growth habit of this species.

The common name orange bulbine refers to the color of the blooms, which can have an orange coloration. The common name stalked bulbine refers to the branched stems and growth habit of this species.