Seasonal Wild Flowers

Blue Corn-lily

Aristea ecklonii

Iridaceae

April to August

Isles of Scilly – mainly Tresco

See the BSBI distribution map for Blue Corn-lily

It is a neophyte from South Africa which has been

grown in gardens for a 100 years or so. It has

escaped into the wild in the Scillies and become

naturalised, especially on Tresco.

It grows as a weed in gardens and has colonised

waste places and dunes.

Blue Corn-lily is an attractive, rhizomatous,

perennial herb growing up to 60cm.

The flowers are bright blue, up to 1.5cm across and in

loose clusters.

Each flower is made up of 3 narrower and 3 broader

perianth segments which are fused below to form a

corolla tube.

There are 3 stamens and a 3-lobed stigma on a

slender style.

The flowers only last for a day.

Leaves are linear, Iris-like and up to 60cm by 1.2cm.

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Blue Corn-lily- flower-stems and leaves, Tresco

Blue Corn-lily, Tresco, Isles of Scilly

3 broader and 3 narrower perianth segments

3 stamens and style,

Close-up of style, 3-lobed stigma and anthers

Side view of perianth segments, the corolla

tube and a 'finished' flower