Pancratium canariense or the Canary Sea Daffodil is a species of bulbous plant endemic to the Canary Islands. It grows on north facing slopes in good light, not exposed to hot burning sun and not baking drought. It grows in fertile soil between rocks and shrubs. It flowers in the early autumn. The name canariense means "from the Canary Islands".
| Pancratium canariense | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Amaryllidaceae |
| Subfamily: | Amaryllidoideae |
| Genus: | Pancratium |
| Species: | P. canariense
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| Binomial name | |
| Pancratium canariense Ker Gawler
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| Synonyms | |
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Bollaea canariensis (Ker Gawler) Parl. | |
Description
editBulbous perennial with glaucous leaves. It forms quite large bulbs (12–15 cm diameter) with a short neck. The plant is winter growing and summer dormant. Scape to 80 cm. Flowers in a multiflowered umbel, white with a corona. Very fragrant. Flowers in the fall. Pancratium illyricum from southern Europe is very similar. It has narrower leaves, shorter flower-stalks and flowers in the spring.
Cultivation
editEasy to grow and flowers freely if planted in a sunny spot. It does not tolerate frost, but should be very good for coastal Californian gardens in the fog belt. Hardy to USDA zone 10.
References
edit- Walters, S.M. The European Garden Flora, Vol. 1. Pteridophyta; Gymnospermae; Angiospermae—Alismataceae to Iridaceae. ISBN 0-521-24859-0