White asphodel

Family: Asphodelaceae. Grows in heaths, on dry open slopes, and in scrub in the upper montane and subalpine belts of Southern Europe, reaching north to France, Switzerland, and Hungary.

Perennial plants up to 50–120 cm tall. Flowers are arranged in simple or slightly branched racemes, white or pale pink, with brown or light green veins, 2–4 cm in diameter. Stamen filaments with triangular bases. Bracts brown. Stem glabrous. Leaves narrow, channelled, up to 60 cm long and 1.5 cm wide, glaucous, with membranous wide sheaths. After flowering small dry capsules about 1 cm long are formed, with triangular seeds. Blooms in late May to early June; after flowering it gradually loses its decorative value, and by August the leaves may be wholly or partly dried, which should be considered when placing the plant in flower beds. It has long been known in cultivation.

Despite its southern origin, it is easily grown in central Russia, requiring neither special summer drying nor winter shelter. Grows on any soils, but prefers loose, not heavy, moderately fertile soil with good drainage, yet sufficient watering during dry periods. A very undemanding and winter-hardy plant, suitable for sunny flowerbeds and large rock gardens.

Propagation: this plant is vegetatively reproduced by dividing the rhizomes: in August the clumps are dug up and carefully—trying not to break the brittle thick roots—divided into separate rosettes: each with a bud, a piece of rhizome and its own tuft of roots. Seed propagation is also not difficult. For germination the seeds require a cold period. It is easiest to sow them in autumn directly into the ground, in beds or in boxes. In spring uniform seedlings appear. However, from sowing to first flowering about 7 years pass.