It’s that intoxicating smell of sweetness when you pass it in a garden; its rich, languorous aroma in the evenings, and freshly fragrant, highly floral green notes in the mornings are what first spurred on the idea for perfumers to use its oil extracts in the middle notes of certain perfumes, making it an extremely sought-after plant during the Victorian era.
As for the tuberose’s history with chocolate… well, both originated in Mexico, with 13 species of Polianthes known to derive from various regions of the country. It must have been the plant’s scent that first attracted the Aztecs.
That these two indulgences are both linked to the tuberose (Polianthes) should come
as no surprise, considering how this flower has the same ability to lure people in its
direction. It’s that intoxicating smell of sweetness when you pass it in a garden; its
rich, languorous aroma in the evenings, and freshly fragrant, highly floral green notes
in the mornings are what first spurred on the idea for perfumers to use its oil extracts
in the middle notes of certain perfumes, making it an extremely sought-after plant
during the Victorian era.
As for the tuberose’s history with chocolate… well, both originated in Mexico, with 13
species of Polianthes known to derive from various regions of the country. It must
have been the plant’s scent that first attracted the Aztecs. They used it in their
Ayurvedic medicine, believing it to open the crown chakra, improving psychic abilities,
while also enhancing emotional depth, stimulating creativity and encouraging
serenity. It was also utilised for its anti-spasmodic and anti-inflammatory properties –
and as an aphrodisiac! It’s no wonder that the Aztecs, having discovered the joy of
the cacao bean in the middle of the Amazon over 4 000 years ago, added extracts of
the tuberose in the cacao beverages they subsequently made with these beans.
Luckily for us, both the tuberose and chocolate made their way to the Western world,
and we’re able to enjoy the indulgence of both scent and flavour. Most popular of the
Polianthes is the double-flowering form of P. tuberosa, The Pearl. It too flowers from
the bottom up, but with many more blooms along its dense cylinder.
Polianthes should be planted in spring for flowers in summer. Plant these tuberous
roots in well-composted, well-draining soil, 5cm deep and 10cm apart, in a spot that
receives full sun to semi shade. Every now and then, it may be worth coating the soil
with bulb food for extra nourishment. Water this soil deeply every three to four days
and you’ll soon have a wonderful aroma circling your garden from the blossoming
white blooms, their waxy flowers generally forming loose clusters atop narrow lancelike
to strap-shaped leaves.
When the flowers have all died and the leaves have turned yellow, you can choose to
either leave the bulb dormant in the ground, no longer watering it, or you may lift it in
early winter and keep it stored for spring planting. Most South African gardens are
suited to these bulbs remaining in the ground, as they’re able to withstand light frost
and winter rainfall. However, be aware that if you have planted offsets, not all of them
will produce results every season, as the smaller ones will rather spend their time
enlarging in size. It’s the medium- to large-sized ones that will produce flowers,
although large offsets from large plants may rather concentrate on producing their
own offsets, so will also not flower. For this reason, you are encouraged to grow a
variety of bulbs in different sizes, so that their tendency toward alternate-summer
flowering is taken into account.
Thank goodness chocolate and perfume are available all year round!
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