Albuca “Augrabies Hills” is one we often recommend to growers who aren’t convinced of their green thumb. In addition to its speed of growth and ease of propagation, which let us offer well-sized plants at an affordable price, it’s also an adaptable, undemanding species. We’ve seen it thrive as a houseplant and in our most unforgiving outdoor spots that get frost, full sun, and triple-digit heat. It’s one of the most popular Albuca in cultivation and among the most common South African bulbs in general, yet it has remained an undescribed species since first entering collections over twenty years ago. The reason may lie in some conflicting details. The Augrabies Hills best known to botanists is a winter rainfall habitat noted for its Conophytum endemics, but this plant keys almost identically to Albuca polyphylla from the summer rainfall Eastern Cape. One possible explanation is that Augrabies, which translates roughly to "place of big noises", might have been a common name amongst natives for cities or areas filled with settlers.
