Desert candle, Foxtail lily
Eremurus spectabilis

Family: Asphodelaceae

What it is like

A bulb plant. It keeps growing from year to year. It grows 1 m tall. The flower spikes are tall and slender.

There are about 50 Eremurus species. It is used in medicine. It has also been put in the family Xanthorrhoeaceae.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. It grows in full sun. It needs fertile, well-drained loamy soil. It can tolerate frost. It needs to grow in the sun and can tolerate drought. It can grow in hardiness zones 5-9.

Countries/locations it is found in

Armenia, Asia, Azerbaijan, Caucasus, Europe, Georgia, India, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Mediterranean, Middle East, Pakistan, Siberia, Turkey, Türkiye, Ukraine

How it is used for food

The young shoots are eaten as a vegetable. They are fried with onion. They are cooked in stews. The leaves are also added to herbal cheeses.

The shoots are sold in local markets.

Edible parts

Leaves, gum

How it is grown

If the plant is left for several years it develops many stems and can be divided to increase the plants. These are then planted 15 cm deep. Plants can be grown from fresh seed.

Plants take 3-5 years to reach flowering size.

Its other names

Local names

Aslêrk, Ciris, Gulik, Gullik, Guling, Shresh, Sitirk, Xwzhe, Yelig

Synonyms

Asphodelus regius Heynh.; Eremurus bachtiaricus Boiss.; Eremurus caucasicus Steven; and others