Asphodelus fistulosus

Asphodel

Family: Asphodelaceae · Type: perennial · Not Native

Conservation status: Cal-IPC Yes

Asphodel is a naturalized perennial herb found in southern San Joaquin Valley, central and southern coastal California, and San Clemente Island in disturbed areas and fields at elevations below 50 meters. Flowering from March to July, this plant produces white flowers with brown-orange midribs 5 to 12 millimeters long in an open inflorescence. Growing with hollow, branched stems 15 to 70 centimeters tall, it forms multiple roots from tuber-like stem bases. Its numerous leaves are cylindric, 10 to 30 centimeters long and approximately 4 millimeters in diameter, with wide, membranous bases. The fruit is nearly spherical and 5 to 7 millimeters long.

Habitat: Disturbed areas, fields

Bloom period: Mar-Jul

Elevation: < 50 m

Bioregions: s SnJV, CCo, SCo, s ChI (San Clemente Island), expected elsewhere

California counties: San Diego, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Riverside, Los Angeles, Ventura, Contra Costa, Orange, Imperial, Kern, Monterey

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.