Turkeybeard

(Xerophyllum asphodeloides)

Turkeybeard (Xerophyllum asphodeloides (L.) Nutt.)

Identification: Flowers white, star-shaped with 6 petals. Petals pointed at the apex, but not sharply so. Flowers arranged in a tight terminal cluster, cluster usually rounded, with unopened flowers in a pointed, crowded terminal group. Leaves very thin and elongate (up to 2 feet in length), forming a basal tussock. Shorter leaves found upward on the stem. Plant 2 to 5 feet in height.

Distribution: Found in the pine barrens of New Jersey and also the Appalachian woods of Virginia to Georgia and Alabama.

Habitat: Turkeybeard is found in sandy soils, usually in pine woods.

Flowering Period: May to July.

Similar Species: Turkeybeard can be mistaken for Featherbells. The petals of Featherbells are sharply pointed. The petals of Fly Poison are rounded at the tip, not pointed and the petals of Bunchflower are widely separated at the base.