By Any Name, Ipheion Brings Spring Color
Every year gardeners search for new plants with early spring color that have somehow evaded the vigilant eyes of their gardening friends. Truth be told, gardeners love a touch of friendly competition! Ideally, these new finds should provide more than just floral interest; they should be easily grown, long lived and – dare I say it – deer resistant! Truly a plant that would make a gardener green with envy. Oddly, one of my long-time spring favorites remains unknown by far too many and it is both easily purchased and inexpensive. The plant is Spring Starflower or Ipheion uniflorum, a bulb whose botanical identity has long perplexed botanists.
Bruce Crawford
