Dwejra Tower's Facebook page has recently posted their famous ‘Plant of the Month’ for March, focusing on the intriguing Branched Asphodel, scientifically known as Asphodelus ramosus and referred to as 'Berwieq' in Maltese.

Asphodels, members of the Lily family (Liliaceae), are robust, drought-resistant perennials known for their striking appearance and historical significance. These resilient plants boast strap-like, grey-green leaves and distinctive star-shaped flowers that range from white to pale pink, often adorned with a pinkish-brown mid-vein.

Standing at up to a meter tall, their sturdy, leafless flower spikes shine through with their imposing shape and prolonged attractiveness, as successive white blooms unfurl from bottom to top during early Spring.

Found in various habitats including garrigue, rocky slopes, olive groves, and field margins, asphodels thrive in the Mediterranean landscape, particularly in the Maltese islands where they form impressive colonies. Interestingly, despite their abundance, they remain unpalatable to grazing animals.

Delving into mythology, the asphodel holds a fascinating association with death and the underworld, a theme echoed in literature such as "Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone," where it features as a key ingredient in the Draught of Living Death potion.

Have you ever spotted this beautiful flower?