General Landscape Uses:
Groundcover, borders, wildflower gardens.
Availability:
Grown by enthusiasts.
Description: Bulbous perennial with grass-like foliage with most of the flowers replaced by tiny bulbs that can fall to the ground and start a new plant.
Dimensions: Typically 1 foot in height, as broad as tall.
Growth Rate: Quickly spreading where bulbils fall.
Range:
Eastern United States south to Volusia, Orange, Hillsborough counties.
Map of select IRC data from peninsular Florida.
Map of suggested ZIP codes from South Florida north to southern Brevard, Osceola, Polk, and Pasco counties.
Habitats: Open, disturbed sites
Soils: Moist, poorly-drained to well-drained, usually organic soils.
Nutritional Requirements: Moderate; can grow in nutrient poor soils, but needs some organic content to thrive.
Salt Water Tolerance: Low; does not tolerate flooding by salt or brackish water.
Salt Wind Tolerance: Low; salt wind may burn the leaves.
Drought Tolerance: Moderate; generally requires moist soils, but tolerant of short periods of drought once established.
Light Requirements: Full sun to light shade.
Flower Color: Whitish pink
Flower Characteristics: Showy clusters of flowers and bulblets.
Flowering Season: Late winter and spring.
Fruit: Bulbils
Horticultural Notes: Edible, strong onion odor.
References: Wunderlin and Hansen (
2011), Osorio (
2001)
Comments: We have been adding data for this species for central and northern Florida and welcome any feedback or review. If you would like to contribute information or images, please contact George Gann via the IRC staff page. See also the Florida Wildflower Foundation's
Flower Friday page.
