Chlorophytum angulicaule is a local indigenous plant that belongs
to the plant family Agavaceae. It is virtually unknown to the horticultural
industry although it is closely related to the globally very well-known and
popular Hen and Chickens or spider plant, Chlorophytum comosum, which is also native
to the same region.
Description
Chlorophytum angulicaule is a fairly large plant that is
easy to distinguish from the other local Chlorophytum species by its much
lighter waxy green leaves, under the leaves the parallel veins are very well defined
which are interspaced with light silverish bands of wax.
.jpg "light green leaves and well defined veins on leaves of chlorophytum angulicaule")
The leaves on my plants average out at 500mm in length and 30 mm wide.
The flowers which are numerous that a borne on 1.2 m inflorescences measure
30 mm in both height and width.
Distribution
Chlorophytum angulicaule is mostly in found growing in the provinces Eastern
Cape, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northwest Province, in South Africa and has also been recorded
from Mocuba in Mozambique.
Habitat.
Grows in full sun in grassland.
History of my plants
Way back in 2008 I was given an un-named tray of Chlorophytum
seedlings of this plant, the mother plant having been found growing in
grassland near to the Africa Centre the home of the Africa Health Research Institute in Mtubatuba,
KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
I recently positively identified these plants at the KwaZulu-Natal
Herbarium which is located adjacent to the Durban Botanical Gardens as Chlorophytum
angulicaule.
These seedlings which I planted in my garden in Mount
Moreland grew very rapidly and soon I was able to propagate numerous plants by
dividing the large robust rhizome.
Over the years I have given plants of Chlorophytum angulicaule to a number of
people who in turn have multiplied them and have passed them on in turn.
Cultivation.
I have noted that in cultivation if watered Chlorophytum
angulicaule will remain vegetative throughout the year but if allowed to dry
out they do not die but simply become dormant in the winter until the spring
rains arrive.
I have noted that Chlorophytum
angulicaule grows equally well in the heavy black clay soils in Mount
Moreland as they do in sandy soils provided that they are supplied with enough
nutrients either in the form of compost or fertilizer.
Chlorophytum angulicaule produces
large amounts of large white flowers throughout the year if they are watered
and are provided with enough nutrients which attract a huge variety of native
bees.
Propagation
Chlorophytum angulicaule grows easily from seed, they can
also be easily and rapidly multiplied by division of the large rhizome into
fairly small pieces.
Use in ornamental landscaping.
Chlorophytum angulicaule is a ground
cover plant that is very well suited to be used in ornamental horticulture in
both gardens planted solely to local indigenous plants as well as to exotic ornamental
plants.
Chlorophytum angulicaule is a neat and tidy plant that grows
quickly and suppresses weeds very well.
It is also a very valuable addition to a wild indigenous garden and rehabilitation projects because of the large numbers and varieties of indigenous bees that it feeds.
written by Michael Hickman on 28.03.24
