Asphodelaceae FAMILY

Asphodelus albus

Edibility

1/5

Medicinal

1/5

Safety & Hazards

The root is poisonous[ 7 Title Encyclopaedia of Medicinal Plants. Publication Author Chiej. R. Publisher MacDonald Year 1984 ISBN 0-356-10541-5 Description Covers plants growing in Europe. Also gives other interesting information on the plants. Good photographs. ].

Botanical Description

Asphodelus albus is a herbaceous perennial plant growing from a tuberous rootstock. It produces a cluster of narrow leaves up to 60cm long and one or more, usually unbranched flowering stems up to 100cm tall[ 200 Title The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. Publication Author Huxley. A. Publisher MacMillan Press Year 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5 Description Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed. ]. The plant is mainly used as an ornamental, valued especially for its attractive flowering display. It has in the past been used as a food and medicine, whilst the roots have been fermented to produce an alcohol.

Habitat & Origin

Origintemperate

Native RangeSouthern Europe. - western France to central Spain and the Italian Alps

HabitatPloughed fields, rough ground[ 7 Title Encyclopaedia of Medicinal Plants. Publication Author Chiej. R. Publisher MacDonald Year 1984 ISBN 0-356-10541-5 Description Covers plants growing in Europe. Also gives other interesting information on the plants. Good photographs. ], dry hills and mountain meadows[ 45 Title Flowers of Greece and the Balkans. Publication Author Polunin. O. Publisher Oxford University Press Year 1980 ISBN 0-19-217626-9 Description A good pocket flora, it also lists quite a few plant uses. , 50 Title Flora Europaea Publication Author ? Publisher Cambridge University Press Year 1964 ISBN - Description An immense work in 6 volumes (including the index). The standard reference flora for Europe, it is very terse though and with very little extra information. Not for the casual reader. ].