Aphyllanthes monspeliensis Mediterranean Europe each highlighted by a yellow

each highlighted by a yellow tip

The dramatic flowers are composed of dark purple inner spurs and mauve outer sepals

Though it is standard practice to cut the foliage back before spring this is not an absolute necessity

and a soft buttery-yellow pouch with mahogany sepals thanks to the Cypripedium calceolus parent

Aphyllanthes monspeliensis Mediterranean Europe each highlighted by a yellowFew 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.