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Asphodelus albus

White Asphodel · Gamón-blanco

Family AsphodelaceaeGenus Asphodelus

A dense spike of white brown-striped flowers opening from tight brown buds at the top
FlowerFernando Losada RodríguezCC BY-SA 4.0

About the plant

What it is and where it grows — not part of any germination protocol.

Habit
tuberous geophytePlants of the World Online
Flower
WhiteWikipedia
Native range
France, Italy, SpainGBIF Backbone Taxonomy

Toxicity is noted only where a source states it. No note here is not a finding of safety.

Sources: Plants of the World Online — Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; Wikipedia — Wikipedia contributors; GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Worth knowing

  • In ancient Greece white asphodel was associated with mourning and death, and it grows in the mythical Asphodel Meadows. Its roots were also a staple food: Pliny the Elder wrote that one plant could produce up to 80 tubers. Wikipedia: Asphodelus albus

This source reports 5 treatments. All are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1998

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around October 14, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on October 13, 2026.

  1. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  2. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

about 3 months from start to step 2. Germination happens during step 2, in 84 days.

100% germination in 49–84 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1998 · 2nd Supplement, Asphodelus p. 16Public domain
Show the original text
Asphodelus (Liliaceae). A. albus data is now complete. One sample germ. 70D-40(417 in 8th w)-70D(1/7 in 2nd w). A second sample germ. 70D-40(5/9 in 10th w) and 4Ó-70D-40-70D(3/3 in 2-5 d). A third sample germ:70D(1/6 in 2nd w)-40(1/6 in 11th w)-70D(3/6 in 2-4 w) and 40-70D(4/4 in 7-12 w). The basic germination pattern appears to be 70-40 and 70-40- 70 with the latter possibly being 70-40 if more time had been given in the cycle at 40.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement, 2nd Supplement, Asphodelus p. 16. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 2

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1998

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around October 3, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on October 2, 2026.

  1. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

  2. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  3. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

about 6 months from start to step 3. Germination happens during step 3, in 5 days.

100% germination in 2–5 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1998 · 2nd Supplement, Asphodelus p. 16Public domain
Show the original text
Asphodelus (Liliaceae). A. albus data is now complete. One sample germ. 70D-40(417 in 8th w)-70D(1/7 in 2nd w). A second sample germ. 70D-40(5/9 in 10th w) and 4Ó-70D-40-70D(3/3 in 2-5 d). A third sample germ:70D(1/6 in 2nd w)-40(1/6 in 11th w)-70D(3/6 in 2-4 w) and 40-70D(4/4 in 7-12 w). The basic germination pattern appears to be 70-40 and 70-40- 70 with the latter possibly being 70-40 if more time had been given in the cycle at 40.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement, 2nd Supplement, Asphodelus p. 16. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 3

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1998

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around October 28, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on October 27, 2026.

  1. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

  2. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

about 3 months from start to step 2. Germination happens during step 2, in 70 days.

56% germination in 70 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1998 · 2nd Supplement, Asphodelus p. 16Public domain
Show the original text
Asphodelus (Liliaceae). A. albus data is now complete. One sample germ. 70D-40(417 in 8th w)-70D(1/7 in 2nd w). A second sample germ. 70D-40(5/9 in 10th w) and 4Ó-70D-40-70D(3/3 in 2-5 d). A third sample germ:70D(1/6 in 2nd w)-40(1/6 in 11th w)-70D(3/6 in 2-4 w) and 40-70D(4/4 in 7-12 w). The basic germination pattern appears to be 70-40 and 70-40- 70 with the latter possibly being 70-40 if more time had been given in the cycle at 40.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement, 2nd Supplement, Asphodelus p. 16. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 4

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1998

Difficulty High Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around September 10, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on September 9, 2026.

  1. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

    1/6 germinated in this phase.

  2. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

    1/6 germinated in this phase.

  3. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

about 6 months from start to step 3. Germination happens during step 3, in 28 days.

50% germination in 14–28 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1998 · 2nd Supplement, Asphodelus p. 16Public domain
Show the original text
Asphodelus (Liliaceae). A. albus data is now complete. One sample germ. 70D-40(417 in 8th w)-70D(1/7 in 2nd w). A second sample germ. 70D-40(5/9 in 10th w) and 4Ó-70D-40-70D(3/3 in 2-5 d). A third sample germ:70D(1/6 in 2nd w)-40(1/6 in 11th w)-70D(3/6 in 2-4 w) and 40-70D(4/4 in 7-12 w). The basic germination pattern appears to be 70-40 and 70-40- 70 with the latter possibly being 70-40 if more time had been given in the cycle at 40.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement, 2nd Supplement, Asphodelus p. 16. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 5

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1998

Difficulty High Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around September 24, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on September 23, 2026.

  1. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

  2. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  3. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

about 6 months from start to step 3. Germination happens during step 3, in 14 days.

14% germination in 14 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1998 · 2nd Supplement, Asphodelus p. 16Public domain
Show the original text
Asphodelus (Liliaceae). A. albus data is now complete. One sample germ. 70D-40(417 in 8th w)-70D(1/7 in 2nd w). A second sample germ. 70D-40(5/9 in 10th w) and 4Ó-70D-40-70D(3/3 in 2-5 d). A third sample germ:70D(1/6 in 2nd w)-40(1/6 in 11th w)-70D(3/6 in 2-4 w) and 40-70D(4/4 in 7-12 w). The basic germination pattern appears to be 70-40 and 70-40- 70 with the latter possibly being 70-40 if more time had been given in the cycle at 40.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement, 2nd Supplement, Asphodelus p. 16. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

How each step is done, in Deno’s words, and what Verified and Derived mean.

Germination trials

Readers’ own records of sowing this species, published after review. Share your trial · All trials

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