Tulbaghia 'Purple eye ®'
Tulbaghia ‘Purple Eye®’
Plant type
Perennial
Height / spread
Approx. 40–45 cm tall / approx. 30–35 cm wide
Flowering
Late spring to summer (often continuing into autumn)
Star-shaped flowers with a striking, contrasting central eye
Flower colour
Light purple to lilac with a dark purple eye (“purple eye”)
Personal evaluation
An extremely floriferous Tulbaghia. It has very fine, almost needle-like foliage. Personally, I tend to prefer the broader-leaved types, but in terms of flowering performance, this cultivar is hard to beat. It is also compact in habit and features beautifully contrasting flowers.
Position
Full sun to light partial shade
Soil
Well-drained; dry to moderately moist
Water requirements
Low — very drought-tolerant once established
Maintenance
Very low-maintenance
Removing spent flowers encourages prolonged flowering
Hardiness
Moderately hardy
In the ground, plant in a sheltered position; in containers, light winter protection is recommended
Uses
Borders, containers, planters, prairie-style plantings, climate-adaptive gardens
Additional features
Aromatic • Edible • Pollinator-friendly
Origin
Tulbaghia ‘Purple Eye’ is believed to have been bred in the UK.
It is a very floriferous selection of the hybrid Tulbaghia cominsii × violacea, raised by Dick Fulcher at Pine Cottage Plants.