Sea daffodil

Sea daffodil

A white star on the dunes

חבצלת החוףPancratium maritimum

The sea daffodil, a white, sweet-smelling flower, blooms on coastal sand dunes in late summer, at a time when most other flowers have faded. It grows from a deep bulb and survives heat, salt spray, and shifting sand. Coastal building has destroyed many of its habitats, and the flower is now protected. Its Hebrew name recalls the chavatzelet of the Song of Songs, though scholars disagree about which plant that verse describes. Visitors may still find it on beaches in August and September.

Glossary: Sea daffodil