Few gardeners have ever run across the monotypic Aphyllanthes monspeliensis, unless you’ve spent time in the Mediterranean region south to Morocco. This solitary genus in the Asparagus family produces a small rock garden-size plant that looks like Festuca glauca until it flowers, then it looks just like a sisyrinchium or other irid. The narrow wiry glaucous leaves form a tight clump, topped, starting for us in mid-April with 1″ medium blue flowers. Aphyllanthes prefers hot, sunny, well-drained rock gardens where it can bake. Trivia alert: the genus name Aphyllanthos means leafless flowers, and monspelliensis refers to Montpellier, France, where the first plants were identified.
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