#asphodelus

Asphodelus aestivus

Aloes are well-known and widely grown members of the Asphodelaceae, but the family takes its name from the genus Asphodelus, seen here. Asphodelus aestivus comes from many countries around the Mediterranean basin, and in keeping with the dry-summer climate there, it is dormant all through the summer months (the term "aestivus" refers to this). The white flowers have a brown pinstripe running down each tepal (petal), which gives the buds a distinctive look.

AKA hollow-stemmed asphodel, onion-leafed asphodel, and pink asphodel. The binomial is a combo of Greek and Latin again - a- ‘without’ and sphallo ‘to supplant’, possibly meaning the beautiful flowers are not easily surpassed, and the Latin fistula for ‘pipe’, referring to the leaves.

Like the Trachyandra previously, native to the Mediterranean region (as well as the Arabian Peninsula, Transcaucasus, and Madeira) and a noxious weed where-ever it finds the climate to its liking - the drier parts of the US and Mexico, and parts of Australia and New Zealand.

They are largely associated with death and in greek mythology there's the asphodel meadows where most ordinary souls are sent to live. They also often appear with persephone. There are a few different types, and at least white, yellow and pink ones. They also have alkaloids that are harmful to sheep etc, but they lose toxicity in summer because they dry

Here are asphodelus ramosus and asphodelus aestivus

Asphodel in the language of flowers means "My regrets will follow you to your grave"...

Suits him…

Plant of the Day

Sunday 4 June 2023

Growing in a sandy bank by the seashore in Orkney, Scotland, is a garden escape originally from the dry, stony soils around the Mediterranean, Asphodelus albus. This plant grows from fleshy roots producing long narrow leaves above which are strongly branching stems topped with spires of long narrow buds which open in early summer to starry-white flowers. The distinctive feature is the brown vein running down the centre of each petal.