@DaisyI

Picked up a Albuca spiralis 'Frizzle Sizzle' about 2 weeks ago.
It was in a peat based soil and I replanted it in a quick draining pumice mix.





Some Notes on what I noticed on the short time I have had it.
My plan was to water the plant once a week.
It was watered Saturday the 31st. I noticed the leaves drooping only 2 or 3 days after watering. So I thought it like like to stay wet a little longer then the quick drying soil I used. I watered it again, on Tuesday or Wednesday.
It did well till I watered again on Saturday the 7th. I noticed Monday the 9th a few leaves starting to droop already. I thought about watering it again, but held off.
We have had a few hot days recently for this time of year. I know this is a winter growing plant and I noticed that in the morning all the leaves where upright the next day.
So my observation is when it gets hot, the kitchen where I grow this plant in full sun was around 78 degrees on Monday, the plant leaves will start to droop in the heat.

The bulb has formed a split.
Is the split from too much water? Normal growth? Bulb dividing?

Did you repot and water immediately? Even if you didn't, that seems like a lot of water in a very short period of time. I don't know a lot about these plants except water when they have leaves, don't water when they don't. Mine is in my greenhouse up against the south facing wall. It gets some pretty wicked sun and heat - in a 4 inch pot, I still water only once every couple weeks.

I have never seen mine wilt. It sits next to a Senecio scaposus - same size pot and same potting soil. When the Senecio leaves go soft, they both get watered.

Yours is worrisome because of the split but also because of the brown at the base of the leaves.

I would have waited a bit for your plant to acclimate before doing any repot. Then since you have repotted, what should have been done is leave it be for awhile, till it gets its bearings again. It takes awhile for any new plant.

From what I have experienced with this plant, it does go dormant when temps are hot and dry...then it wakes up gradually again once conditions starts to go cooler. In my area it wakes up more towards January to February showing new leaf growth at the center. By then I position it by my sunniest side in the garden. It is winter so air around remains cool, so I can leave it in that position.

By late April to May it will start making its blooms. Then when summer rolls in, it gradually dries out and sleeps, so I just move it in a dry, sheltered area but still outdoors.

Try to be more disciplined in water, do not overwater. Once a week is more than enough when the plant is active.

Our growing areas are different, maybe it may not go too dormant on your side during summer. On my side it gets onerously hot and dry, so it just goes dormant at that time.

I cannot comment much on that division showing on your plant. My plant did not undergo that. But I would think as long as your plant does not go mushy, then just continue to observe. Good to see the media is very well draining, it needs that for faster dry out time.

When I re-potted 10/25, I did not water till the 31st.
I think all the plants at the nursery had a brown color at the leaf base on the outside leaves, so that did not really cross my mind as a potential issue.
When I re-potted the bulb was hard. Not sure when the plant was watered at the nursery, it was in peat that was saturated and why I wanted to get it out of that soil ASAP.
It looks to have a nice green bulb under the outer shell that is splitting.

I'm guessing new growth occurs in the center of the plant?

I'm wondering if it may be creating a division. From this picture you can see the small new leaves emerging on the outside of the main plant.



Guess time will tell.

Edit: You know I write down when I get the plants...purchased and re-potted on 10/25.

It does appear to have two tops. Keep us posted.

Yes, new growth shows at the center. Here was mine as it gradually wakes up from its long slumber this 2020, and how you have to be patient, and try not to overwater this plant.

To be honest, I have not repotted this plant since I acquired it last July 2018. But I did add more pumice as top dressing.

15Jan 2020


03Feb2020


29Feb2020


30Apr2020


09May2020


18May2020

Plant is growing well and can definitely see see the division of a new plant.



Looks to me it may be forming a flower stalk.





Hope these pics are ok. Taken from the cell phone and directly uploaded with no file resizing or editing.

Very nice! I'll have to go look more closely at mine to see if it has a bloom coming up.

I was very surprised to see the tiny division is starting a flower stalk also.

Surprised of the sweet smell of the flowers.

elgecko said:

• Corkscrew Albuca (Albuca spiralis Frizzle Sizzle®)
• Uploaded by elgecko

Surprised of the sweet smell of the flowers.

What a great photo!

Yes, mine is starting to bloom but I will never match the quality of your photo so won't post one of my own.

I hope you add it to the DB.

DaisyI said:

What a great photo!

Yes, mine is starting to bloom but I will never match the quality of your photo so won't post one of my own.

I hope you add it to the DB.

Thanks.
I can add the picture.

I just really took notice to the shape of the plant compared to earlier pictures.
I know the plant goes dormant. This is first time it will be doing that in my care.
I'm going to guess the plant starts to go dormant after flowering?
The leaves are not as upright, leading to believe it's starting to go dormant now.

What do most of you do at this point;
- Continue watering till all the flowers are exhausted, and stop
- Reduce watering interval until the leaves are exhausted.
- Stop watering plant completely now.
- scenario I did not put...

I water if there are green leaves and stop watering when they start to yellow. I'm surprised by how short dormancy is but that may be because its always warm in the greenhouse.

I wasn't going to post a photo of mine because elgecko's photo is so awesome but then I discovered this... It must be multiplying!