Accession Data:
Bowiea volubilis Harv. ex Hook. f.
- Common Name: Climbing Onion
- Family: Asparagaceae Juss.
- Country of Origin: Uganda to S. Africa
- Habitat: Semi-arid areas of eastern South Africa
- Description: This South African species has a partially exposed bright green fleshy bulb up to 8 in (20 cm) in diameter. The true leaves that emerge from the bulb are small, very short lived and easily overlooked, but they are replaced by the scrambling or twining, much-branched green flowering stems up to 15 ft (4 m) long which are scattered with starry, green flowers to 5/8 inch diameter, calyx and corolla of a flower (generally used when the two are similar).">perianth segments becoming reflexed.
- Culture: They are usually claimed by the succulent enthusiasts, who like to grow them with the bulb displayed above the soil, though that is not necessarily the way they grow in the wild. Cultivation is not too difficult in a container such as a large pot or a hanging basket, provided that the soil is gritty and perfectly drained and the plant is placed in strong light. Stakes or wires can be provided for the climbing branches, or they can be allowed to hang down. The plant should be watered very sparingly except during the growing season, when new stems emerge from the bulb. Propagation is normally from seed.
- USDA Zone: 9
Accession Data:
- Accession # 198501019
- Source: Unknown
- Accession Date: 12-31-1985
- Bench: 2205 - XER:Namib / Karoo B
- Currently: active - healthy
- Qty: 3 confirmed on 03-24-2025
Classification:
- Division: Magnoliophyta
- Class: Liliopsida
- SubClass: monocots
- Order: Asparagales
- SubOrder:
- Family: Asparagaceae
- SubFamily: Scilloideae
- Tribe: Urgineeae
- SubTribe:
Flowering Data:
This accession has been observed in bloom on:| Year | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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References (internal):
- EEB Greenhouse Holdings native to: Kenya / Tanzania / Uganda / Angola / Malawi / Mozambique / Zimbabwe / Cape Provinces / Namibia / KwaZulu-Natal / Free State / Northern Provinces
References (external):
- Botanica, Turner & Wasson, 1997, CD-ROM Version
- The Plant List (2013). Version 1.1. Last accessed on Monday, April 02, 2018.
- WCSP (2017). World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. Facilitated by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Last accessed on Monday, April 02, 2018.
- Angiosperm Phylogeny Website at MoBot. Last accessed on Tuesday, 03 December, 2019.
data regenerated on Thu, 24 Apr 2025 15:27:10 -0400 [bcm v4.0]
Images:
Additional images for this accession:
Click on thumbnails to enlarge
Current Accessions in the Asparagaceae
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Subfamily Agavoideae
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Subfamily Agavoideae
Tribe Anemarrheneae
Subfamily Agavoideae
Tribe Anthericeae
Subfamily Asparagoideae
Subfamily Lomandroideae
Tribe Arthropodium group
Subfamily Lomandroideae
Tribe Cordylineae
Subfamily Lomandroideae
Tribe Lomandreae
Subfamily Nolinoideae
Tribe Convallarieae
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- Aspidistra tonkinensis W/C
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Subfamily Nolinoideae
Tribe Dracaeneae
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- Dracaena angolensis
- Dracaena aubryana
- Dracaena draco
- Dracaena masoniana
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- Dracaena spathulata W/C
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Tribe Eriospermeae
Subfamily Nolinoideae
Tribe Nolineae
Subfamily Nolinoideae
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Subfamily Nolinoideae
Tribe Rusceae
Subfamily Scilloideae
Tribe Hyacintheae
- Camassia quamash
- Hyacinthinae: Leopoldia longipes
- Hyacinthinae: Scilla peruviana
- Massoniinae: Drimiopsis botryoides
- Massoniinae: Drimiopsis maculata
- Massoniinae: Eucomis bicolor
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- Massoniinae: Lachenalia aloides
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- Massoniinae: Lachenalia ensifolia
- Massoniinae: Lachenalia rubida
- Massoniinae: Lachenalia unifolia W/C
- Massoniinae: Lachenalia viridiflora
- Massoniinae: Ledebouria socialis
- Massoniinae: Massonia depressa W/C
- Massoniinae: Massonia pygmaea
- Massoniinae: Veltheimia bracteata
Subfamily Scilloideae
Tribe Ornithogaleae
- Albuca bracteata
- Albuca bracteata W/C
- Albuca concordiana W/C
- Albuca setosa W/C
- Albuca spiralis W/C
- Albuca tortuosa
- Albuca virens W/C
- Ornithogalum adseptentrionesvergentulum
- Albuca concordiana W/C
- Ornithogalum graminifolium W/C
- Ornithogalum hispidulum W/C
- Ornithogalum sardienii W/C
- Ornithogalum thyrsoides
Subfamily Scilloideae
Tribe Urgineeae
- Bowiea volubilis
- Bowiea volubilis ssp. gariepensis
- Bowiea volubilis ssp. volubilis
- Drimia haworthioides
- Drimia intricata
- Drimia platyphylla W/C
- Drimia sp. W/C
- Drimia uniflora W/C
= indicates flowering in past 14 days
= images available for this accession
= map available for this accession
= accession added within past 90 days