Description
Silver-green leaves and up to three flowers of almost pure black, the outside coated in a waxy “bloom”. Inside the dark colour contrasts superbly well with the vivid, chrome yellow anthers. There is also a little-reported, but delicious scent of violets, a rare feature in the genus.
A rare Greek endemic known from but a few localities, mostly within the boundaries of Athens where paper protection, legislation, habitat directives, committees, politicians and EU regulations have conspicuously failed to make them safe from housing developments.
Not difficult in cultivation and in time makes a superb display. Perhaps best in a pot under alpine house glass, though it grows very well here outside in south facing raised beds with our other species.
This is almost always a scarce and irregular offering.
