Bulbine abyssinica is a tufted perennial, a leaf succulent growing from a vertical rhizome with many fleshy roots. In flower the plant reaches heights up to 50 cm.
The plant grows widespread across southern and central Africa, at least as far as Kenya. It is found in most habitat types apart from fynbos, often on grassland slopes and flats. The species is not considered to be threatened in its habitat early in the twenty first century.
B. abyssinica resembles B. capitata, but the former has reddish pink colouring at leaf bases. Its leaves also do not decay to membranous strips like those of B. capitata (Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2010; Shearing and Van Heerden, 2008; Blundell, 1992; iSpot; www.redlist.sanbi.org).