Asphodeline liburnica Taxonomy

• Family: Asphodelaceae (Liliaceae) • Genus: Asphodeline • Species: liburnica • Common Name: Jacob’s Rod • Hardiness: Perennial in zones 8-10 UI Botanical Garden, Moscow Native Habitat

• Native to: Mediterranean Region specifically Temperate Western Asia and Southeastern Europe, including Turkey, Canakkale, Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, Crete, Italy, Yugoslavia (GRIN) • Habitat is dry and subtropical, characterized by a hot dry summer, and cooler wet winter • There is a large temperature differential between day and night during the summer Characteristics

• Height: 2-3 feet • Width: Generally 1-1.5 feet • Habit: Upright Clumping • Exposure: Full Sun • Flowering period: Late afternoon into evening beginning in mid summer and continuing through early fall. • Sliver/grey upright needle like foliage Floral Characteristics

• Flowers are yellow with three green stripes on each tepal • Six tepals • Six stamens, three long, and three short • Style and stamens are curved downward Floral Induction

• Little information on subject • Longer days, dryer air, and an increasing difference in day and night temperatures all play a role in floral bud initiation • Once FBI has occured, day length has no effect on flower bud development Special Features

• Extended bloom period • Drought and heat tolerance • Good for xeriscapes and rock gardens • Winter interest from seed pods • Primary flower racemes can be removed to increase the number of flower spikes

UI Botanical Garden, Moscow Propagation

• Propagation is accomplished by seed or division • Plants can be lifted and divided in fall or early spring (Bryan, 2002) • Seeds usually take three weeks to a month to germinate, and sometimes require stratification (hardy plants.com, 2008) • Plants grown from seed usually require three seasons before blooming (Bryan, 2002) Bedding Plant Potential

• This plant has lots of potential as a bedding plant, but there are some problems – Blooms late in the day and into the night – Flowers open irregularily along stem and in small numbers – Long initial production time – Inability to produce from cuttings due to lack of branching Potential for Cut flowers

• None due to plant habit • Unsightly old flowers remain on stem • Flowers open late in day and are closed by morning • Only a few flowers bloom each day Works Cited

• Bryan, J. E. Bulbs. Timber Press, Portland OR. 2002 • Daves Garden Plant Files. Davesgarden.com/guides/pdf/go/1595861/ • Hardy Plants. hardyplants.com/A.htm • Ritter, Michael E. The Physical Environment: an Introduction to Physical Geography.2006.4/29/08. http://www.uwsp.edu/geo/faculty/ritter/geog101/textbook /title_page.html • UI Botanical Garden, Moscow, Russia. Herba.msu.ru/shipunov/m_album/uiarb20060715/thumb.html • USDA GRIN. www.ars_grin.gov/cgi_bin/npgs/html/eaxon.pl?5566