First recorded in Bologna in northern Italy in the 16th century this delightful plant has now become naturalized throughout Europe where it can be found in meadows, orchards and open rocky ground. The perennial blooms during the spring months, the flowers are sweetly-scented and gorgeous yellow.
Pretty as it is, once it is in your garden, you will never be rid of it. The reason for this is that it has an unusual and very effective way of propagating itself. As soon as it leaves out in the spring a long, thick, white, root-like structure shoots out horizontally from the base of the bulb to about 15 to 20 cm away to form a new bulb. The process is very fast. By the time the leaves die back the new bulblet at the other end can survive on its own.