Anthericum
Jane McGary (Thu, 12 Jul 2007 16:54:33 PDT)

Like most people who have attempted to grow Paradisea liliastrum from seed,
I have Anthericum liliago in the garden (many sources, including,
apparently, Jelitto, send out the latter under the former's romantic name).
Here in western Oregon it's overenthusiastic, but it makes a real
weed-suppressing ground cover and a large colony of it is pretty in flower
in late spring. I have to get out TOMORROW and cut off all the stems before
it ripens any seed, though.

I also have a smaller Anthericum species, purchased at a plant sale as
Paradisea (of course), and it also self-sows. It may be A. ramosum, but I
haven't bothered to ID it as I don't distribute it.

As for Paradisea, the one time I did grow the real P. liliastrum, I lost it
after 2 or 3 years. However, Paradisea lusitanica, a taller species, is
very much at home here. It makes a smaller, more manageable basal rosette
than A. liliago and has more tubular white flowers with a little fragrance.

Jane McGary
Northwestern Oregon, USA