Aphyllanthes monspeliensis

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.