Friday, April 16, 2010

Ipheion uniflorum...

I first met this flower years and years ago in California when we moved into our first house. The lady who lived there previously had done a number of clever things with the yard that I didn't fully appreciate until much later. However, this was one little bulb that I liked as soon as I saw it. The back yard had a flagstone patio, and this blueish star-shaped flower would come up around its edges and in the cracks. And, of course, over time, it spread and spread. But I would never consider it weedy. It was just too charming and not intrusive at all to me.





I didn't know the name of it. Its leaves had a rather strong odor when crushed that made me think of a certain animal, so I called it The Skunk Flower. In fact, I still call it The Skunk Flower even though I know its name is Ipheion uniflorum or Spring Star Flower.




It grows here in North Carolina, too. My neighbor has tons in his backyard grass and has kindly shared with me. I trust it will spread around my garden, filling in nooks and crannies, and coming to greet me every spring.


Have a beautiful day!

2 comments:

Les said...

We have yards in our neighborhood that are carpeted with this flower every spring. I have put a few in my own garden hoping they would naturalize. I love things that come up, do their thing and then disappear.

Thank you for stopping by my Bloom Day post.

Anonymous said...

Ruth,

The bloom on this bulb looks alot like a flower that blooms for us each Spring. The leaves on ours have a silverish line that runs down the middle. I transplanted it last year after it bloomed so that it would form a border for my herb garden. I look forward to its blooms every year.
-M