Illyrian sea lily

Description

Pancratium illyricum grows on rocky slopes and sparse woodland areas, from sea level to more than 1300 m above sea level. It is a bulbous perennial with glaucous leaves, 30–60 cm long, 1½–½ cm wide. Leaves whither after flowering time, in early summer, and the plants goes dormant. The scape is up to 45 cm long, and the flowers are clustered in umbels of about 12, and are white with a short corona and very fragrant. Flowers appear in April to June. Pancratium canariense from the Canary Islands is very similar. It has broader leaves, longer flower-stalks and flowers in the autumn.