Sea Daffodil
Pancratium maritimum
Family: Amaryllidaceae
What it is like
Pancratium maritimum is an evergreen Bulb growing to 0.5 m (1ft 8in) by 0.3 m (1ft). See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 8 and is frost tender. It is in leaf all year, in flower in June. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs). Suitable for: light (sandy) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil. The plant can tolerate maritime exposure.
Height (m): 0.5
Where it is found
Maritime sands or just above the high tide mark, along the Atlantic coast.
S. Europe.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 1
Bulb - cooked. This report is somewhat dubious since there are reports that the bulb is poisonous. Seed. No further details are given.
Root: includes bulbs, corms, tubers, rhizomes etc.
Seed: includes nuts, cereals, peas and beans.
Medicine
Rating: 0
Other
Rating:
The woolly hairs on the inside of the seed coat (should this say the seed case?) are used to weave felt shoes and other garments.
Fibre: Used for making cloth, rope, paper etc.
Scented Plants: Plants noted for their scent
How it is grown
Requires a light very well drained sandy soil in a very sunny position. Requires a warm sheltered position when grown outdoors in Britain. Requires a hot dry summer in order to fully ripen its bulb, it is more easily grown in a bulb frame in Britain. Tolerates temperatures down to about -5°c, it is only hardy in the milder areas of Britain, requiring protection even there in the winter. The bulb should be planted deeply and rapid spring growth should be encouraged. Another report says that plants are easily grown outdoors in Britain but that the leaves are susceptible to frost damage and the plant does not flower well in an average British summer. The flowers have an exotic lily scent.
Propagating it: Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a greenhouse. Pre-soak stored seed for 1 hour in warm water and then sow in spring in a warm greenhouse in a light sandy soil. Germination usually takes place within 1 - 3 months at 22°c. Sow the seed thinly so that the seedlings can be left undisturbed in the pot for their first two years of growth. Give them an occasional liquid feed in the growing season to ensure they do not become nutrient deficient. When the plants become dormant in late summer, pot up the small bulbs placing 2 bulbs in each pot. Grow them on for another one or two years in the greenhouse before planting them out when they are dormant in late summer. Division of offsets when the plant dies down in late summer.
Best place to grow: Cultivated Beds; South Wall. By. West Wall. By.
Habit: Bulb
Hardiness: 7-10
Growth:
Soil: Light (sandy)
Shade: No shade
Moisture: Dry, moist
Things to keep in mind
The bulb is somewhat poisonous.