There are certain beautiful flowers which are severely let down by their foliage, but today’s choice is most definitely not one of those. In fact, I would go so far as to say I’d almost grow it for the silvery blue-green foliage alone.
This is a clump forming hardy perennial and the narrow, grass like leaves are the perfect foil for the racemes of bright yellow flowers which are shaped like stars, and reach to a metre or so, high. This is a low maintenance plant, and despite its exotic appearance is easy to please and remarkably adaptable in terms of soil, aspect, and setting. It does however, being native to south eastern Europe and the Mediterranean, flower best in full sun.
Asphodeline lutea is one of those plants that adds vertical interest to a planting scheme, and although it never looks out of place in a mixed border, it is especially suited to growing in a gravel garden or amongst other plants of Mediterranean origin.
It was introduced into the University of Oxford Botanic Garden as long ago as 1648, and although it does not appear to have any medicinal uses, the flowers, leaves and root are all apparently edible!
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