unknown plant

[Uli Lessnow]

I got this pic from a friend. Can anyone name this plant?
Uli

[Matt T]

I'm presuming this is a houseplant, Uli? I can see a swollen stem base, which says Beaucarnea recurvata to me - the 'pony tail palm'.

[Lesley Cox]

Here's another plant for ID please. It was given to me yesterday when I visited a local nursery to pick up some dwarf bearded irises I'd ordered. Marion R is always so generous that I hesitate to admire anything at all but this was really stunning in a good clump maybe 40 cms across and with many stems of orangey flowers with apparently fluffy yellow stamens. It has the look of something African about it and Marion says she thinks it could be tender (it came from Auckland) The leaves are very succulent and juicy about 12-14 cms long and the flower stems are about 40cms. The flowers are lightly and pleasantly fragrant. We'd both like to know its name please.

[GordonT]

I am always up for a plant identification challenge Lesley, I think you might have a splendid pot full of Bulbine frutescens, a South African native that is used medicinally much like Aloe. Here's a link for more information; http://www.plantzafrica.com/plantab/bulbinefrut.htm

[Lesley Cox]

Spot on Gordon. Thanks very much indeed. It looks and sounds exactly like it. I can tell my friend who gave it to me as she didn't know either and nor did the Auckland friend who gave it to her! I thought it looked a bit like Aloe vera, (though knew it wasn't) with that foliage but without the mottles. It's coming into a new batch of flowers after just a few days of fresh planting so I think it will like me.

[Anthony Darby]

Must look out for it. Anything that rejoices in the name "burnt jelly plant" is worthy of a space in my garden, when I get one.

[Hoy]

I think it is easy from seed. I had plants once but they disliked the weather here.
Silverhill Seeds, South Africa, has this species and several others of the same genus.

[Lesley Cox]

If you don't find it beforehand Anthony, I'll send up a bit when mine has rooted and is looking a bit more comfortable. The two pieces Marion gave me had a little root but stringy and needing planting to get new ones. I think they're going to be fine though.

[Karaba]

I have some (~200) seeds of Bulbinella frutescens, a mixed of yellow and orange form of my own plants. I can send some. I didn't try to sow them. I sowed Bulbinella cauda-felis from the SRGC seed exchange and they germinated very quickly, and I'm waiting for the germination of other Bulbinella from NZ.