Pancratium maritimum
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| Pancratium maritimum L. |
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P. angustifolium M. Roem. 1847 Syn. Ensat. 178. |
Pancratium maritimum or Sea Daffodil is a species of Amaryllidaceae native to the Mediterranean region and south-western Europe. It grows on coastal sands or just above the high tide mark. Other vernacular names are Sand Daffodil and Sand Lily. The Latin maritimum means "on the sea-coast".
P. maritimum is a bulbous perennial with a long neck and glaucous, broadly linear leaves, evergreen, but the leaves often die back during hot summers. Scape to 40 cm. Flowers 3-15 in an umbel, to 15 cm long, white. Corona two-thirds as long as the tepals. The flowers have an exotic lily scent. Flowering in August to October.
Easy to grown but requires a very sunny position and a very well drained, sandy soil. Need hot summers to induce flowering and is often a shy bloomer in cooler climates. Hardy to USDA zone 8. Tolerates temperatures down to about -5°C. Propagation by seeds or division after flowering. Seedlings may flower in their third or fouth year.
[edit] References
- Phillips. R. and Rix. M. (1989) Bulbs. Pan Books ISBN 0-330-30253-1
- Polunin, O. (1987) Flowers of Greece and the Balkans - A Field Guide ISBN 0-19-281998-4
