Walton's Plant Library

Other Names:  Snake Flower, Cat's Tail, Burn Jelly Plant

Description:

A pretty succulent variety producing fleshy narrow gray-green foliage that is somewhat grassy looking; orange flowers with yellow centers appear from spring to fall on tall spikes; great for a rock garden or as a groundcover in a sunny area

Ornamental Features

Orange Stalked Bulbine features showy spikes of orange star-shaped flowers with yellow eyes rising above the foliage from mid spring to early fall. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its attractive succulent grassy leaves remain grayish green in color throughout the year.

Landscape Attributes

Orange Stalked Bulbine is an herbaceous evergreen perennial with a ground-hugging habit of growth. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other garden plants with less refined foliage.

This plant will require occasional maintenance and upkeep. Trim off the flower heads after they fade and die to encourage more blooms late into the season. It is a good choice for attracting bees and butterflies to your yard. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Orange Stalked Bulbine is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Rock/Alpine Gardens
• General Garden Use
• Groundcover
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Orange Stalked Bulbine will grow to be about 18 inches tall at maturity extending to 24 inches tall with the flowers, with a spread of 5 feet. Its foliage tends to remain dense right to the ground, not requiring facer plants in front. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years. As an evegreen perennial, this plant will typically keep its form and foliage year-round.

This plant should only be grown in full sunlight. It prefers dry to average moisture levels with very well-drained soil, and will often die in standing water. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for a low-water garden or xeriscape application. It is not particular as to soil type or pH, and is able to handle environmental salt. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America. It can be propagated by division; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.

Orange Stalked Bulbine is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. Because of its spreading habit of growth, it is ideally suited for use as a 'spiller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the edges where it can spill gracefully over the pot. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.