Albuca spiralis

[Roberta]

I don't buy many non-orchids, but this one really reached out and grabbed me. The curly leaves are soooo cute! Its nickname/common name is "Frizzle Sizzle", native to the western and northern Cape provinces of South Africa. It lives on my patio near the Cymbidiums, getting lots of light. It is in a sandy terrestrial mix. After blooming the growths die back, but the new growth appears within a month or two. It is quite fragrant, with sort of a grassy scent.

[Diane56Victor]

I see what you mean about the leaves, I would have bought one too just for the leaves.

[Roberta]

When I got it, no flowers (they were a bonus a year or two later, when the plant matured a bit) so it was, indeed, just loving those crazy leaves.

[WaterWitchin]

Roberta, I remember the first time you posted about Frizzle Sizzle and immediately went out and found one for myself. I didn't realize it would go dormant and threw it away, thinking I'd killed it. Found that info out once it was too late to retrieve from the trash.

Fast forward a couple years. Bought a couple more last fall, they went dormant soon after. Waited until very early in the year, started them up again. Granddaughter got one for her birthday, and I attempted to keep the other. Daughter whined, gave her the second one, and now I need to purchase again.

Does yours go dormant?

[Roberta]

It does go dormant for a bit. Gets ratty-looking during the summer, then the new growth starts up fairly shortly after. So short dormancy but it does have one. I don't change the treatment, it still gets watered and that doesn't seem to do any harm.

[WaterWitchin]

Originally Posted by Roberta

It does go dormant for a bit. Gets ratty-looking during the summer, then the new growth starts up fairly shortly after. So short dormancy but it does have one. I don't change the treatment, it still gets watered and that doesn't seem to do any harm.

Interesting. Of course when mine lost all leaves, I just pitched it. Second time, I gave it several months dormancy when it dropped the leaves. Just set it on top of a bookshelf and ignored it for about four months, took down and started watering. I'll give that method a go once I resupply myself with one.

[Roberta]

It comes from the Cape of South Africa, which has a somewhat Mediterranean climate - dry hot summer. (Backwards from plants from monsoonal areas that have wet summers and drier winters) So that behavior is quite normal. It likely just waits for "rain" to start growing again. But it doesn't seem to need, or particularly want, a "hard dormancy". Now, remember, I grow outside in a dry climate, so even watering it every other day in summer (with the rest of the population) it isn't staying very wet.