Plant in full sun to light shade with little water. Hardy to about 20-25 degrees F. This plant has a bloom period that extends into the summer along the coast but has somewhat of a summer dormant period in hot interior gardens then reblooms in the fall into winter. Plants look tidier and may rebloom better if old flower stalks are removed after bloom.

Bulbine frutescens comes from the southern coast of South Africa north up to Mozambique. The name for the genus comes from the Greek word 'bolbine' and Latin 'bulbus', a general word for a bulbous or onion-like plant but is somewhat misleading as these plants do not have a bulbous base. The specific epithet comes from the Latin word 'frutex' meaning "shrubby" and is in reference to the way this plant forms solid stands, looking much like a low shrub. Bulbine frutescens is sometimes commonly called Jelly Burn Plant as it contains glycoproteins, the ingredient in several aloe species, and is touted for similar healing properties as Aloe vera such as to ease burns, rashes and itches. These properties have also caused it to be called cape balsam (from the Africaans name balsem kopieva) - other common names include snake flower, cat's tail and and geelkatstert.

We have offered this plant since 1993 and also grow the orange colored selection Bulbine frutescens 'Hallmark' and the slightly smaller Bulbine frutescens 'Tiny Tangerine'. 

The information displayed on this page about Bulbine frutescens is based on the research we have conducted about it in our nursery library as well as from information provided by reliable online resources. We also include our own observations made about this plant as it grows in the nursery gardens and other gardens visited, as well how the crops of this plant have performed in the containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments that we have received from others and welcome hearing from anyone with information about this plant, particularly if it includes cultural information that will aid others to better grow it.