Bulbine bulbosa

Golden Lily, Bulbine Lily at Molonglo Valley, ACT

Bulbine bulbosa at Molonglo Valley, ACT - 15 Sep 2016
Bulbine bulbosa at Molonglo Valley, ACT - 15 Sep 2016
Bulbine bulbosa at Molonglo Valley, ACT - 15 Sep 2016
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Identification history

Bulbine bulbosa 3 Oct 2016 JanetRussell
Bulbine bulbosa 1 Oct 2016 galah681

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User's notes

These plants were planted as bulbine bulbosa, but they are enormous. Last year they flowered normally but this year have grown a wide flattened straplike stem with flowers in a horizontal band instead of the normal spike. Unfortunately kangaroos or other wildlife chewed off the flower before it fully opened.

5 comments

JanetRussell wrote:
   4 Oct 2016
It seems to have become infected with something and it would probably be best to remove it.
Mike wrote:
   4 Oct 2016
This is fasciation where shoots and flower heads look like many stems compressed together. It is caused by several things including bacterial, fungal, viral, hormonal, genetic and environmental (such as frost or insect damage) factors. Some plants are valued because of their fasciation, probably genetic. It is not contagious but if caused by bacteria or fungus could spread from infected plants. It might not recur again so I would leave the plant. See the entry on Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fasciation or Royal Horticultural Society.https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=525.
JanetRussell wrote:
   4 Oct 2016
Thanks Mike - interesting. I shall follow it up.
galah681 wrote:
   4 Oct 2016
Thanks Mike for the explanation. I was wondering if glyphosate would have had any effect in producing the faciation? The 2 plants showing the effect were close to the gravel path where glyphosate had been used to remove weeds.
Mike wrote:
   4 Oct 2016
That is a possibility. There are reports that herbicides can cause damage.but I would need to do some reading to see which ones.

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Additional information

  • True In flower
  • 30cm to 1 metre Plant height

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