Genus Albuca comes from a huge area of Africa. There are species that get only summer rain, species that get only winter rain, and some that straddle the regions. Some of the summer-rainfall species are being grown outside in New York State. There has been a huge amount of taxonomic revision in what used to be family Hyacinthaceae. For now Albuca is an accepted genus.
Most behave as opportunistic growers if they have water all year, but the winter growers look much better with only winter water.
The plant Roberta showed was introduced into cultivation about 25 years ago, by southern California succulent growers, with the wrong name. Because it's easy to grow, and looks really cool, it's been distributed widely - with the wrong name. It has waxy, non-glandular leaves, and is actually Albuca namaquensis. You will find A. namaquensis sold with the wrong name almost everywhere.
The real Albuca spiralis is in cultivation. It is also a really cool, and easy-to-grow plant. It has even narrower leaves, tightly coiled, covered with short stalks bearing glands. The flowers are similar. I have both species, and have raised many from seed.
You can read more about Albucas (and any other geophyte) at the
Pacific Bulb Society. From the top menu choose Photographs, then the genus of interest. Detailed photos of both species I mentioned are shown.
Both A. namaquensis and A. spiralis look best (curliest) if given as much sun as possible from the time leaves are first visible.
A. namaquensis (Roberta's plant) is one of the earliest winter-growing bulbs to appear, usually August in the Northern Hemisphere. As soon as you see any leaves, put it outside in the maximum sun possible. It does fine in a small pot in full Arizona sun with temperatures above 110 F / 43C, so don't worry.
Water about once a week. Let it go dry between waterings, but not for too long. If you water too much it won't be very curly.
Keep it in as much sun (or indoor light) as possible all winter. Insufficient light and too much water prevent it from curling properly.
It tolerates overnight freezes into the teens F / -8C, but expects the next day to be above freezing. In spring, as temperatures rise, it will flower and set seed. Stop watering when the flowers fade and fruits begin to swell. It will mature fruits as the leaves dry and go dormant. Collect the seeds and store for the next fall. They are extremely easy from seed, and will self-sow in your collection if conditions are correct.
When dormant, store over summer where they will be warm and dry, with no water. High humidity combined with high temperatures may be a problem. I don't have that. I store mine on a windowsill so I will see the new leaves as soon as they emerge.
The true A. spiralis, with glandular leaves, grows exactly like the above, but it emerges later in fall. Both these species do offset, unlike many Albuca, and will break pots as the bulbs grow.
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