Asphodeline lutea is a perennial plant that produces tall flowering stems in spring, topped with large, star-shaped yellow flowers.

It grows in dense clumps, slowly spreading to form long, grass-like, bluish-green leaves.

The grass-like appearance of its foliage combines beautifully with broad-leaved or rounded plants in rock gardens and gravel gardens.

👨‍🌾GARDENING TIPS👨‍🌾: Asphodeline lutea

• • Full sun to light shade.
  • Well-drained, moderately fertile soil
  • Water moderately; requires dry conditions during its dormant summer period.
  • Very hardy in well-drained soil, this plant thrives with hot, dry summers and multiplies rapidly by producing numerous small bulbs.
  • The flowers are excellent for small bouquets, and should be picked as soon as they open for the best effect.
  • Looks great with Stipa tenuifolia, Carex buchananii, Festuca glauca

Learn more about gardening with Eleven O’Clock Ladies:

• • ENG: Plant of the Week : Ornithogalum umbellatum
  • FR: Les Sauvages du Poitou

The Tales & The Botany: Asphodeline lutea

The genus Asphodeline is closely related to the ancient “asphodel” plants of Greek mythology.

In Greek tradition, asphodels were believed to grow in the Fields of Asphodel, a meadow in the underworld where ordinary souls wandered after death.

These fields symbolized peace, reflection, and eternal rest.

Because of this association, plants related to asphodel were often linked to remembrance, immortality, and the connection between life and the afterlife.

They were sometimes planted near graves or used in funerary rites in ancient Greece.

However, unlike the pale asphodels of myth, Asphodeline lutea stands out for its vibrant golden flowers.

Below you will find the most excellent tale of how it was introduced into the United Kingdom :

Asphodeline lutea was introduced into the University of Oxford Botanic Garden in 1648.

One of the curators of the garden at the time, John Parkinson, said the plant was “not… used in Physicke for any purpose.” (Physicke = of any medicinal or culinary use)

The locals in the Mediterranean who were interviewed by Parkinson said that that plant had “no… propertie appropriate unto it but knavery,” with no explanation of the particular knavery of which the plant was guilty. (Knavery = dishonest or unfair behaviour)

The description in the Botanic Garden used the old name of Asphodelus lutea

I cannot say that I have seen Asphodeline be dishonest… yet!

Floral Morphology

The flowers of Asphodeline lutea are arranged in upright, elongated racemes carried on sturdy, leafless stems. Each individual flower is star-shaped, composed of six bright yellow tepals that open widely when in bloom.

At the center of each flower are prominent orange stamens, which give the blooms a striking and luminous appearance. These stamens are slightly protruding and covered with fine hairs, enhancing their visual appeal and attracting pollinators such as bees and butterflies.

Flowering usually occurs from late spring to early summer, and the blossoms open progressively from the bottom to the top of the inflorescence, ensuring a long flowering period. After blooming, the plant produces small, rounded seed capsules containing dark seeds.

Ecology

Asphodeline lutea is native to the eastern Mediterranean region, where it naturally grows in dry, open landscapes such as rocky hillsides, limestone slopes, scrublands, and semi-arid grasslands.

It thrives in environments with strong sunlight, limited rainfall, and well-drained, mineral-rich soils.

This plant is highly adapted to drought conditions.

Its deep root system allows it to access water stored in lower soil layers, while its narrow, grass-like leaves reduce water loss through evaporation.

In its natural habitat, Asphodeline lutea often grows alongside other drought-tolerant species such as thyme, lavender, cistus, and various grasses, forming resilient plant communities adapted to Mediterranean climates.

Other Names

Jacob’s Staff

Origin

Southeastern Europe, northern Africa, the Caucasus and the Levant