Ann Russell Writer

The fabulously fragrent tuberose.

Hi. This is Little Truff.

My Mum, Chrissie, got all excited the other day when a long stalk appeared from a pot plant with plain, old, blade-like leaves.

It was a bit like Jack’s beanstalk. The stem just kept on growing – and growing – straight up into the air until it was a metre long.

Then a cluster of little pale pink buds appeared on the tip. They grew bigger too.

The metre tall tuberose stem.

A morning or two later, when the air was cool, I went out onto the deck. There I smelt the sweet smell of honey.

Looking around, I found no bees, anywhere.

Then I saw it.

The cluster of buds.

A small, waxy, starry-white flower had opened at the bottom of the cluster. That’s where the intense, honey-sweet fragrance came from.

No wonder Chrissie loves tuberoses. One floral sprig can perfume a whole room.