Desert Lily
Flower type: Biennial (Stores water in the thickened base of its stem)This large flower grows up to 5.3 feet (1.6 meters) tall. Its brown or ashy purple stem is thin, and the huge, cream leaves are dark gray-green on the underside and are asymmetrical with wavy edges. Many leaves grow at the base of the stem, and more leaves alternate on the stem from about halfway up, up to the flower head.
Two small flowers sit at the end of the stem. The flowers are 41 cm (16.1 inches) wide, with solid brown petals decorated with ashy purple lines and a violet central disk. The flower head is made up of 55 petals; the lower layer of petals are flat, while the upper layers form a tight dish. They are very delicate.
It has a mildly strong scent that smells like alcohol, and it has very little pollen. It is a self-pollinator.
It usually houses a colony of beneficial insects.
It is suitable for creating fine, soft textiles
brown
cream
gray-green
purple
violet