Albuca Spiralis ‘Frizzle Sizzle”

The Albuca spiralis is a flowering plant species in the Asparagaceae family and a native to South Africa. It has very distinctive leaves that form curl-spiralled tips with glandular hairs. The Albuca spiralis is commonly called the corkscrew albuca or frizzle sizzle, and occasionally, the helicopter plant.

The plant has an entirely different schedule than what we’re most familiar with. Its growth spurt happens in cold weather, and it loves moist soil. It blooms in late winter and produces an attractive butter-like scent with a hint of vanilla. The plant goes into dormancy during the summer, causing it to lose all its leaves, and stays dormant until the winter. Shedding and drying leaves signify the beginning of its dormancy. Keep the bulb healthy, and the leaves grow back in winter!

Light: An hour or two of direct sunlight is best for quality growth. Never situate your Corkscrew Albuca in a dark setting as the chance of bacterial diseases, like basal collapse, are far too likely for such a beautiful specimen. The frequency of irrigations solely rely on the amount of sunlight received each day; those situated in slightly darker locations must be far less than with those in strong light. We'd recommend situating yours in a north, east or west-facing window, or in a semi-shaded conservatory or porch for best results. During the height of winter, you're also allowed to place it in a south-facing window, but always be cautious of dehydration from the sunlight. 

Watering: Allow the top third of the soil to dry out in between waters, reducing this further in the autumn and winter. In some cases, your Corkscrew Albuca may lose its foliage from late autumn onwards, which is normal behaviour for specimens at that time of year. When this occurs, reduce watering to once every two or three weeks; scroll down to 'Dormancy Care & Annual Flowers' for more information on what to do! Under-watering symptoms include a weakened stem accompanied by a loss of flowers, stunted growth and the greying or yellowing of leaves - these issues are commonly down to forgetfulness, or too much heat or sunlight. Over-watering symptoms include yellowing of leaves, wilting, basal collapse, and plant death; these issues are commonly due to an area that's too dark, excess moisture in the soil, a too water-retentive compost or water-logging.