Dracunculus vulgaris: the Dragon lily
It’s arrived! Also known as ‘snake lily’ and ‘devil’s tongue’ -we can see why.
We’ve been lucky with warm springs of recent years and has given us quite a few years of spectacular moments.
It grows wild in the eastern Mediterranean and the Balkans.
The flower is also noted for its foul smell of rotting flesh.
Flies are attracted to the smell, but this is no flesh eating dragon; the flies just serve as a pollinator for the flower. Obviously a successful adaptation which has helped this weird plant survive.
I wonder if the flower will last until we can open the gates for all to see?
In the meantime…
