Bulbine Lily

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Bulbine Lily - Colleen Miller | Bulbine Lily - Colleen Miller | Bulbine Lily - Elspeth Swan | Bulbine Lily - Cathy Powers

Bulbine bulbosa

Single upright flower stem to 50 cm tall, usually with up to two flower spikes per plant. Several yellow flowers. Petals and sepals to 22 mm long with bearded filaments. Fleshy green to grey-green rush-like leaves to 40 cm.

Details
Flora Type
Lilies, orchids
Other Common Names
Wild Onion, Pike (Koorie name)
Distinctive Features

Bright yellow flowers, often with greenish line on the outside of each petal. All six stamens are bearded with a ring of golden hairs that are bunched.
Biology

Perennial. Moist soils and damp open places in grasslands and woodlands. Often flowers prolifically after fire. Plants die off to bulbous tuberous rootstock in dry weather.
Native Status
Native
Flowering Time

Sep-Jan
Taxonomy
Phylum
Tracheophyta (Vascular Plants)
Class
Magnoliopsida (Flowering Plants)
Order
Asparagales
Family
Asphodelaceae
Genus
Bulbine
Species
bulbosa

Source: Atlas of Living Australia

Many Bulbine species have bulb-like tubers and thick, fleshy roots that were steamed and eaten as food by Aboriginal people. They are considered one of the sweetest of lily roots.

Interesting Facts
Similar Species

Similar to B. semibarbata but taller and flowers twice the size.
Native Status
Native