Description
Pregnant Onion
Note: Despite the “pregnant onion” common name, no parts of this plant are edible. Like many houseplants, keep away from children and pets.
Bulb Sizing: .75″ – 1.25″ diameter
Ornithogalum caudatum is an easy and adaptable plant to grow and it is well suited for containers grows happily in a pot for years and years. Prefers some sun but will scorch in hot, sunny, dry locations. The bulbs need to sit on top of the soil, no need to bury them. The plants are allowed to dry slightly in-between waterings. During the heat of summer, like in their native South Africa, the plants will tend to go dormant. This is what allows them to bloom in the Fall and Winter once indoors.
Propagation: Division, seeds, offsets (bulbils). Produces somatic embryos (bulbils) on the sides of the parent bulb, visible as small bumps (pregnancies) on the surface of overlying bulb scales in mature specimens. The bulblets then root and establish new plants.
Potting Instructions: It is generally a low-maintenance plant, and is best grown indoors in a sunny window or outdoors in an area that receives some afternoon shade. Soil requirements are minimal, with adequate drainage being the most crucial factor. Traditional potting soils should be avoided, as they tend to retain moisture. Preferred choices include using pure construction sand, or blends suitable for cacti or orchids. The plant does best if the soil is allowed to dry out completely between watering, and then watered thoroughly.
Plant Information
- Not Edible: No parts of this plant are edible. Like most houseplants, keep away from children and pets.
- Zones: 9-11 (All others bring indoors when overnight temps go below 40°F
- Ship Season: Mid-April through late Fall
- Flower: Spectacular white/green flower spike on top of 2-4 foot stalk
- Ships as: 2+ year old bulbs with trimmed leaves
- Soil: Plant in a well-drained pot with 50/50 potting soil and sand mix
- Sun: Full or Part Shade
- Bloom Time: Fall/Winter (Usually blooms once brought indoors for Winter)
