# White Asphodel (*Asphodelus albus*)

The White Asphodel is a beautiful flower with tall spikes and white blooms. It grows in sunny places and can be found in fields and meadows, making them a lovely sight in nature.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Grasslands

![White Asphodel](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Asphodelus_albus.004_-_A_Coru%C3%B1a.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Fernando Losada Rodríguez, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Asphodelus_albus.004_-_A_Coru%C3%B1a.jpg)

## Appearance

The White Asphodel has a tall, unbranched stem crowned with a spike of many star-shaped white flowers. Each delicate petal features a distinct brownish-purple central stripe. Its long, sword-like leaves emerge directly from the base.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Liliopsida
- **Order:** Asparagales
- **Family:** Asphodelaceae
- **Genus:** Asphodelus

## Interesting facts

- In ancient myths, this ghostly white flower was believed to carpet the fields of the Underworld for heroes.
- It can grow in really dry, rocky places where many other plants struggle to live and thrive.
- Its roots grow into plump tubers, like tiny underground energy snacks that helped ancient people survive!
- The plant's name, 'Asphodelus,' might mean 'royal scepter' because of its tall, majestic flower stalk!

## Special abilities

- **Pollinator Beacon:** Its striking white flowers with contrasting petal stripes act as a clear visual guide for hungry insects to find its nectar.
- **Seed Spreader:** This plant produces numerous seeds that can be dispersed by wind or small animals, helping new plants grow far away.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 60-120 cm
- **Spread:** 30-60 cm
- **Flower Size:** 2-4 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Spring to early summer
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** Mild
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** Honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — collects nectar and pollen
- **Pollinates:** Buff-tailed bumblebee (*Bombus terrestris*) — visits flowers for nectar
- **Pollinates:** Hoverfly (*Melanostoma scalare*) — larvae are aphid predators, adults pollinate

## Traits

- [Aromatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aromatic): Aromatic plants produce and emit fragrant volatile organic compounds, often for defense or to attract pollinators.
- [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
- [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth.
- [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense.
- [Medicinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/medicinal): Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health.
- [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals.
- [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.
- [Ancient Lineage](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ancient-lineage): This trait signifies organisms belonging to a very old evolutionary group with ancestors dating back millions of years.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always look but don't touch flowers without asking an adult.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify White Asphodel?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is White Asphodel?

60-120 cm

### How wide does White Asphodel spread?

30-60 cm

### How big are the flowers on White Asphodel?

2-4 cm

### When does White Asphodel bloom?

Spring to early summer

### Is White Asphodel edible?

No

### Is White Asphodel toxic?

Mild

### What is White Asphodel's lifecycle?

Perennial

## Where to spot

- [Botanischer Garten und Arboretum (Tübingen)](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/botanical-garden-arboretum-tubingen) — Baden-Württemberg, DE · Park

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [White Asphodel: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-asphodel)