Fly Poison

(Amianthium muscaetoxicum)

Fly Poison (Amianthium muscaetoxicum (Walt.) Gray)

Identification: Flowers creamy white when young, fading to green or dull purple as they age. Petals broad with bases contiguous with each other. Flowers arranged in a stalk (spike or tight raceme), each flower on a short flower stalk. Leaves grasslike, mostly arising from the base of the plant. Plant 1.5 to 4 feet in height.

Distribution: Missouri in the west to New York in the east, southward to Florida and Louisiana.

Habitat: Fly Poison is found in sandy woods, primarily along the coastal plain.

Flowering period: May to July.

Similar Species: Fly Poison is most likely to be confused with Bunchflower. The petals of Bunchflower are narrow at the base. In general the petals of Buchflower are narrower and more strongly separated from each other than those of Fly Poison. The raceme of Buchflower is much looser than that of Fly Poison.

Comments: The bulb of Fly Poison is poisonous.