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Tulbaghia 'Cosmic' (Cosmic Society Garlic) - A clumping evergreen perennial with tuberous roots from which emerge flexible 6 to 8 inches long by 1/4 inch wide gray-green grass-like leaves. In mid-summer on to fall and rising well above the foliage atop slender 2-foot-tall stalks are held tight umbels of dark buds that open to show off the cream to pale pink flowers with a darker line running down the middle and tip of the lower petalaloid tepals and surround a prominent yellow corona. As flowers age the flowers darken with the tepals turning a dark violet pink. The flowers emit a slight clove fragrance but brushing the foliage can easily mask this with its garlic smell, though it is not as strongly scented as Tulbaghia violacea.
Plant in full sun to light shade in a well-drained soil with occasional to regular irrigation - somewhat drought tolerant but will always looks better with more regular irrigation. Cold hardy to around 25°F. This is a very attractive hybrid Tulbaghia that will dance nicely along any pathway or perennial border and is also great for mixing into a naturalistic meadow planting or used effectively as a potted specimen.
This plant was introduced in 2004 by Welsh grower Liz Powney, who holds the National Council for the Conservation of Plants and Gardens (NCCPG) National Plant Reference Collection of Tulbaghia at her garden near Aberystwyth in Wales. It was noted to be a spontaneous seedling hybrid that was found growing amongst plants of Tulbaghia violacea at Bob Brown's Cotswold Garden Flowers.
The genus was named to honor Ryk Tulbagh (1699-1771) the early governor of the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa. We first spotted this wonderful Tulbaghia growing at Native Sons Nursery in Arroyo Grande, CA in 2017 and our stock plants came from them.
We also grow several Tulbaghia violacea cultivars including Tulbaghia violacea 'Edinburgh', Tulbaghia violacea 'Blanca', Tulbaghia violacea Purpleicious ['Hinetul1'], Tulbaghia violacea 'Oro Verde', Tulbaghia violacea 'Emerisa White', Tulbaghia violacea 'Savannah Lightning' and Tulbaghia violacea 'Blanca' as well as Tulbaghia simmleri (AKA T. fragrans), Tulbaghia simmleri 'Alba' and the hybrids Tulbaghia 'Ashanti', Tulbaghia 'Flamingo', Tulbaghia 'Fairy Pink' and Tulbaghia 'Himba'.
This information about Tulbaghia 'Cosmic' displayed is based on research conducted in our horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also will relate observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments that we receive from others and we welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share any cultural information that would aid others in growing it.
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