Asphodel family. Homeland – the Mediterranean, the Caucasus.
Asphodelina –herbaceous plant for open ground, which looks quite interesting in the garden.
Tall bushes with small variegated yellow inflorescences are modest and elegant, they seem to rise majestically above other perennials. Due to the fact that their decorative effect is preserved throughout the spring-summer period, the site will look bright and elegant for a long time. In addition, the flower is unpretentious in care and can be grown even in the conditions of central Russia.
Description of the asphodelina plant
According to its botanical characteristics, Asphodelineis a perennial herbaceous plant with a strongly leafy stem and a strong, short cylindrical rhizome.
The leaves are linear, subulate, greenish-blue, up to 15 cm long. Basal leaves are formed into a large rosette. Upright flower stalks about 120 cm long stretch from the central part of the rosette. The shoots of most species of this culture are half covered with leaves, in some members of the genus even to the top.
Inflorescences are racemose or spike-shaped with yellow, white, pink and orange flowers resembling a star shape. Blooms in May – June. When describing the flowering of asphodelina, it is worth noting its peculiarity, which consists in the fact that the buds open sequentially: first the lower ones, then the upper ones.
Fruiting in time coincides with flowering, that is, flowers and fruits are simultaneously formed on the plant in the lower part of the inflorescence. The fruit is a leathery box with black triangular seeds.
In the wild, the asphodelina flower grows mainly on rocky slopes, settles in meadows. Grows in mild warm climates. This plant is often found in the Caucasus, in the Crimea and throughout the Mediterranean.
Asphodelina yellow, Crimean and other species with a photo
In total, the genus includes 17 species, but only a few of them are grown in ornamental horticulture.
Asphodelina yellow (A. luted) – a plant up to 60 cm high with a short rhizome, yellow or greenish-yellow flowers, collected in a dense brush. The diameter of the flowers is 4 cm. The leaves are awl-shaped, light green, slightly pubescent, up to 15 cm long, up to 8 cm wide.
Flowering begins in mid or late May (depending on the region) and lasts up to 35 days. This species is frost-resistant, therefore it can be grown in central Russia. Grows well in open areas with plenty of sunlight.
Below in the photo you can see asphodelina yellow and see all the beauty of this interesting garden plant:
Crimean asphodelina (A. taurica) is also used in floriculture – a perennial herbaceous plant with a short rhizome, the lobes at the roots are thin. The plant reaches a height of 60 cm.
The stem is straight, rigid, almost to the very base covered with green linear-subulate, narrow-triangular leaves, which contain wide membranous sheaths. Inflorescences are a brush 30 cm long of a silvery hue, which is given to it by large membranous bracts that hide flowers.
Flowers white or yellow. Flowering begins in the third decade of May. The fruit is a three-nested rounded leathery box with black oblong seeds. After ripening, the box bursts, the seeds spill onto the ground.
This plant got its name for its wide distribution in the Crimea.
The photo of Crimean asphodelina, presented below, proves that it is highly valued as a beautiful, decorative culture:
Asphodelina thin (A. tenuior) – perennial, rarely biennial or annual herbaceous plant up to 30 cm high. It has small swollen or cylindrical rhizomes. The stem is straight, rigid, densely covered with simple linear leaves with a sharp top and smooth edges.
Inflorescence – brush. Flowers up to 2 cm in diameter, yellow with green stripes. The fruit is a brown leathery capsule with seeds.
Asphodelina libumica (A. libumica) – a perennial herbaceous plant up to 40 cm high. The leaves are thin, trihedral, similar to onion feathers. Inflorescence loose, racemose. The flowers are about 3 cm in diameter, a rich yellow hue. Flowering begins in mid-spring. The buds open in the late afternoon, which is a feature of this species.
Growing, caring and propagating asphodelina
This plant, like most garden perennials, is unpretentious in cultivation and can grow in any fertilized soil, but will still feel better in sandy and loamy areas with good drainage. This plant does not tolerate the proximity of groundwater and begins to rot.
Asphodelina is photophilous, so it is better to plant it in a site well lit by sunlight. This applies to all types of this culture.
Care consists in the timely removal of weeds and loosening the soil. After planting until rooting, abundant watering is required. It is enough to water rooted plants during dry periods, but at least 2 times a week.
If fertilizer is applied before planting, it will no longer be required in the future, since asphodelina will have enough nutrients for the season. In other cases, the soil is fertilized 2 times: before flowering and during the growing season with mineral complex fertilizers.
Despite the fact that asphodelina is a frost-resistant plant, it cannot withstand temperatures below -15 degrees and needs shelter for the winter. Spruce or pine spruce branches, as well as dense material on the frame, are suitable as shelters.
This culture is propagated in two ways: division and seeds. The division of rhizomes is propagated in spring and autumn, less often by seeds.
In one place, the plant can live no more than 4 years. After this time, it is required to divide the bush. The mother bush is dug up at the beginning of autumn, it is divided into 2 – 3 parts and the divisions are planted in new places. When preparing sites for planting, it is recommended to create a compost bed with a layer of about 6 cm from a small amount of bone meal.
With the second method of reproduction, planting is carried out in the spring. Seeds are germinated in advance in containers with soil in a cool place. The grown seedlings dive into separate containers. In mid-May, after warm sunny weather sets in, seedlings are planted in open ground at a distance of 20-40 cm.
Using asphodelina in the garden
Cultivated species of asphodelina are popular with gardeners. They are used to decorate lawns, flower beds, rabatok, rocky hills, rock gardens, borders. It can be used in monoculture, in this case it is planted in groups. This flower looks especially impressive against the backdrop of lawns.
Plants with a similar flowering period are suitable as partners for asphodeline. These flowers look good together with blue and purple perennials: tall irises, oak sage, narrow-leaved lavender and other crops. Asphodelin is harmoniously combined with cereals: evergreen oats, hairy feather grass.
With the help of asphodelina, you can decorate the borders in the garden in an original way and generally turn the garden into a bright, cozy corner, which is ideal for a pleasant stay.
Perhaps its use in the preparation of winter bouquets.
Flowers are in demand in cooking due to their sweet pleasant aroma. Shoots are stewed, boiled, baked. The result is fragrant dishes with an expressive taste.
The above selection of photos shows how asphodelin is used in the garden and how spectacular any decorative compositions with this crop look:
