Pancratium maritimum

[jomowi]

David

In one word no! someone once told me they had seen it and it is refered to in Stace "New Flora of the British Isles".  Try Google.

regards

Brian Wilson Aberdeen

[Maggi Young]

That link you gave is interesting, David.... amazing what is growing , escaped, around the place!

[David Nicholson]

That link you gave is interesting, David.... amazing what is growing , escaped, around the place!

The location given for the plant, Slapton Sands, is about 30 minutes drive from where I live. The bay covers a fairly big area but if someone tells me when the optimum flowering period is I will attempt to seek it out.

[jomowi]

Might be worth looking even now.  I have seen flowers quite late in the mediteranean area although Stace says summer.  The leaves are also quite easily seen, look in the dryer sand above the high tide line.  the flowers are fragrant.

Regards

Brian Wilson

[jomowi]

To make it harder, the "Interactive Flora Of The British Isles" refers to only 5 plants

Brian Wilson Aberdeen

[David Nicholson]

The words 'needles' and 'haystacks' spring to mind! Never mind I will have to have a go. I think we are promised a gale this week-end and if it is a South Westerly Slapton Sands is THE place to be.

[Maggi Young]

I think we are promised a gale this week-end and if it is a South Westerly Slapton Sands is THE place to be.

I don't know about the weekend but we are being blown off the face of the earth at the minute... that's what it feels like, anyway! I wouldn't be going anywhere near our beach in this, that's for sure.

[Luc Gilgemyn]

I've heard it's the remains of "Noel" that have come your way Maggi...

[David Nicholson]

Thought you might like to see a picture of Start Bay which contains Slapton Sands the UK site of Pancratium maritimum.

[Maggi Young]

Apart from the body of water to the right, it looks quite like St Cyrus, just south of Aberdeen!

[David Nicholson]

Sorry I had meant to include some other information with the picture. Slapton Sands was where the American forces trained for the Normandy Invasion (World War 2). At that time the residents of the village of Slapton, as well as of many other very small villages in the area, had to leave their homes in order that they could be used for training and billeting purposes, over 3000 people were affected. A large number of American service men lost their lives as a result of live ammunition being used in training exercises and at one stage a German U Boat got into Start Bay and many were killed. The official figures say that some 800 men were lost in the training exercises but it is still said today that many bodies were buried in secret mass graves in order to disguise the real scale of the losses.

The lake that can be seen in the picture is Slapton Ley and is a freshwater lake retained by the shingle bank of Slapton Sands. It is now a nature reserve and field study centre. Good for bird watchers too.

[David Nicholson]

Apart from the body of water to the right, it looks quite like St Cyrus, just south of Aberdeen!

Might be a little bit warmer

[Stephenb]

Sorting through my pictures from the summer, I came across this shot of Pancratium from Kew (in the Queen's Herb Garden next to Kew Palace). 15th century herbalist, John Gerard, has a few advisory words on the subject. Hope the text is legible. If not, I'll type it out for you....

[Chrisx]

Hi all
I am new to the group and an interested but inexperienced gardener.  Just posting a brief update on PM:  We have just returned from Halki - tiny island off Rhodes - and saw sea daffodils for the first time.  Absolutely gorgeous and the scent - heavenly. 
My Greek is not that good but the local name for it is Zaforás and I was told that it only ever grows in sand and very near the sea.  So - to all those trying to grow it - maybe it needs a little salt in its diet?  A firm in Cornwall is apparently selling bulbs so I just have to try growing them.  Wish me luck!  :-)

[Maggi Young]

Hi, Chrisx, welcome to the Forum.... good luck with your bulbs.... we'll expect photos of your progress, of course!


By the way, I'll merge this with another Pancratium thread, for the sake of neatness!!