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succulentPool FriendlyPet FriendlyPollinator Plant

Yellow Bulbine

Bulbine frutescens

Yellow Bulbine

A low-growing succulent ground cover with cheerful yellow flower spikes that attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.

Root-hardy to about 25°F, USDA 9-11; a low-desert groundcover succulent that recovers from light frost.

AMWUA Notes

Low-water spreading succulent offering long-season pollinator bloom.

Care Guide

💧Watering

Water every 1-2 weeks in the warm season to keep it flowering; more tolerant of regular water than most succulents but still needs drainage.

✂️Pruning

Shear off spent flower stalks and tidy the clump periodically to promote continuous bloom.

🌱Fertilizing

A light spring feeding extends the long bloom season.

🛡️Pests

Largely pest-free; watch for aphids on the flower stalks.

☀️Seasonal Notes

Frost may knock it back below 28°F but it recovers quickly, blooming nearly year-round in mild winters.

Soil, Feeding & Propagation

🪨Soil

Well-draining sandy or gritty soil; tolerates slightly more organic matter than most succulents

💧Drainage

Needs well-drained soil.

🌱Nutrient Needs

Low feeder.

🌰Propagation

Division of the spreading clump or cuttings

📐Spacing

1-2 ft

🌳Roots & Placement

Shallow, non-invasive fibrous roots; soft and pool-safe

Placement Tips

  • Use as a low border, container filler or pollinator edging.
  • Soft and spineless, so safe near pools, paths and play areas.
  • Plant in well-draining soil.
  • Space 1-2 ft apart for a spreading mat.

Features

Dainty yellow flowersPollinator trio magnetLow spreading formContainer-friendly

Best Uses

BorderContainerPollinator garden

Ecological Value

Attracts

beesbutterflieshummingbirds

Quick Stats

Water NeedsLow
Sun Exposurefull sun
Mature Size1 ft H × 2 ft W
Growth Rateslow
Maintenancelow
HardinessUSDA 9-11
FoliageEvergreen
Drainagewell-drained
Bloom SeasonWinter-spring
Bloom ColorYellow
Litter Levellow
ThornsNone
Native RegionSouth Africa

Design Styles

desert modernmediterranean

Include in Your Project

Love Yellow Bulbine? Our landscape team sources from wholesale nurseries and can incorporate it into your design.

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Use this care guide to maintain your Yellow Bulbine. Questions about your landscape? Reach out anytime.

Data from 2024 AMWUA “Landscape Plants for the Arizona Desert” guide.