How to Grow Asphodeline Plants in your Garden

Gardener's HQ Guide to Growing Jacob's rod (Flower of the dead, King's spear)

Asphodeline are hardy perennials.

Some of the common names for members of the genus include Asphodel; Jacob's rod and King's spear.

They normally flower in the summer months.

Description of Asphodeline

Asphodeline are fairly tall plants typically 30 cm to one metre in size. At the top of these tall stems can be found clustered yellow flowers that are star like in colour. Jacob's rod flowers are often very fragrant in nature.

Asphodeline
Asphodeline by Belgianchocolate.

Asphodeline lutea
Asphodeline lutea (Jacob's rod) by Ishaip.

Asphodeline Growing and Care Guide

Common Names: Asphodel, Jacob's Rod, King's Spear
Family: Asphodelaceae.
Life Cycle: Hardy Perennial
Height: 48 to 60 inches (120 to 150 cm)
Native: Mediterranean

Growing Region: Zones 6 to 8
Flowers: Late Spring to Early Summer
Flower Details:Yellow, Spikes, Star shaped, fragrant
Foliage: Grass like, Blue-green

Sow Outdoors: Sow seeds and lightly cover in the spring. Plant roots at a depth of 3 to 4 inches (7 to 10cm) in spring or autumn. Spacing: Small species 6 to 10 inches (15 to 20cm); Large species 15 to 18 inches (38 to 45 cm). Grow in mass.
Sow Indoors: Late winter to early spring. Germination time: 1 month. Temperature 70 to 75°F (21 to 24 °C), Transplant outdoors following the last frost or at the start of autumn.

Requirements: Full Sunlight for best results, can also grow in partial shade. Good drainage. Soil pH 6 to 8. Ordinary soil. Watering in dry periods. Fertilize in spring Mulch in cold climates. Divide in early autumn.

How to Grow Jacob's rod and other Asphodeline

If you plan to grow Jacob's rod and related species from seed outdoors then they should be planted out from spring to early summer. Simply cover the seeds once sown.

If you are planting Asphodeline root stocks then you should plant these at a depth of 8 to 10 cm.

If you plant to plant Asphodeline seeds indoors then this should ideally be done in the early spring. Germination will take in the region of a month and should be performed at temperature of around 20 degrees Celsius.

The seedlings can then be transplanted outdoors after the last frost of spring (or in autumn).

Seedlings of Asphodeline should be planted out at a distance of about 20 cm apart for smaller species and 35 to 45 cm for larger species.

They should ideally be planted in a sunny area of the garden for best flowering, but can also be grown in partially shaded areas of the garden. They are best grown in a well drained soil of pH 6 to 8.

Caring for Asphodeline Species

Asphodeline are pretty easy to look after, they should be fertilized in the spring, and kept watered during dry periods.

Flowering stems should be removed after the last spring frost to encourage more flowering heads.

I hope that you enjoyed this guide on Asphodeline. You may also enjoy the following Gardener's HQ growing guides: How to grow Phormium and Bulbinella plants.