The Asphodelaceae family, still called Xanthorroéaceae until recently, represents monocotyledonous plants of diversified appearance.Beautiful or strange, miniature or giant, floriferous or succulent, many Asphodelaceae are grown as bedding plants or in collections.Popular plants: asphodel, daylily, aloe, knipfofia, phormium...Asphodelaceae or Asphodelaceae are monocotyledonous plants belonging to the order Asparagales.Bulbous, caudicidal, succulent or pachycaulous trees, the Asphodelaceae show a fascinating adaptation to their living environment and a real diversity of form.This perhaps explains these discussions and evolutions in the classification within the phylogenetic tree.Indeed, the Asphodelaceae have passed in some 20 years from the status of a restricted family to a sub-family of the Xanthoroeaceae, then have again become an extended family, which replaces that of the Xanthorroeaceae.The Asphodelaceae are part of the evolved monocotyledonous plants in the same way as the Orchidaceae (Orchids) or the Liliaceae (Lily).Today, the Asphodelaceae include the ex-families: Aloaceae (aloes), Hemerocallidaceae (daylily) and Xanthorrhoeaceae (Xanthorroea)Distribution: Asphodelaceae are scattered all over the world in temperate to tropical climates.Often localized, many species are endemic, particularly adapted or geographically isolated.However, a large number of Asphodelaceae species are found in Africa and Oceania.In France, the Asphodelaceae/Xanthorroeaceae are represented by a few speciesA rarity: Simethis mattiazzii (Simethis planifolia), phalanx with flat leaves, a very pretty native species with small white flowers, acid soil.Hemerocallis liliasphodelus, is a European species, potentially still present on French territory.Naturalized non-native plants:The Asphodelaceae are perennial plants with rosette leaves, generally elongated, banded, without differentiated petiole.However, some species show particularly strange leaves (truncated, angular, translucent...) because they are adapted to a particular living environment, such as Haworthia truncata, Gasteria nitida, Haworthia cooperi.Most Asphodelaceae have reserve organs, simple rhizomes in Hemerocallis and Dianella, Phormium, or well-developed tubers, as in Eremurus or Asphodelus.finally many Asphodelaceae are succulent Aloe, Haworthia, Gasteria) or even develop thick stems, even real trunks (Xanthorroea, Aliodendron aloes in tree)The inflorescences emerge from a rosette, in a lateral position and the rosette then continues its development (Haworthia, Gasteria), or apically, and in this case it is a monocarpic rosette (Hemerocalle, Kniphofia), then replaced by adjacent rosettes or suckers.The flowers are gathered on a long stem, branched or not.They have 6 tepals, are regular as in the asphodels, or irregular as in the Hawortias.The tepals are free (daylily) or completely fused into a tube (Kniphofia, Gasteria)Asphodelaceae flowers are pollinated by insects and many species are self-sterile, they require cross-pollination to bear fruit, such as Hemerocallis, Gasteria, Haworthia…The fruits are 3-celled capsules that dry up or berries (Dianella).But phylogeny eventually grouped this diverse family based on characters often invisible to the naked eye:The Asphodelaceae represent about 900 species divided into about forty genera.Caudiciform, with a lignified trunk, bulbous or simple rhizomatous perennials with thickened roots, the Asphodelaceae, or Xanthoreaceae in the broad sense, are divided into 3 subfamilies:Subfamily Asphodeloideae, comprising about fifteen genera.These are plants with succulent or tuberous foliage, possibly with thickened roots.The best known genera are Aloe, Eremurus, Asphodelus, Asphodeline, Bulbine, Bulbinopsis, Kniphofia, Gasteria, Haworthia...Subfamily Xanthorrhoeoideae which contains only one genus Xanthorrhoea.There are about thirty species of Xanthorrhoea, some of which, although surprisingly shaped, are likened to trees: a thick lignified stem crowned with tufts of grass, such as Xanthorroea aurea, the Australian Black Boy.They are endemic to Australia.Hemerocallidoideae subfamily comprising about twenty genera, many of which have ribbon-like leaves that make them look like imposing grasses.The best known areMany Asphodelaceae are ornamental plants used in ornamental gardens.But the best known and most used are undoubtedly the daylilies which exist in multiple colors and even in double flowers.Whatever the dominant color of a bed, there will be a daylily to match.If the fashion was to obtain the largest possible flowers, currently finer and more delicate forms are proposed, the 'spider'.The tawny daylily (H. fulva) a floriferous and indestructible plant, is also edible, its flowers have an interesting flavor and texture, they decorate the plates nicely.Kniphofia are also excellent bedding plants: from dwarf to huge plant, with two-tone or monochromatic spikes, they do not leave anyone indifferent: however, find out before buying whether the cultivar in question prefers heavy and humid soils or draining soils.Some can be very drought tolerant.The phormiums, completely hardy only in milder climates, look like enormous grasses in color: they sit enthroned on many roundabouts on the Atlantic coast.Bulbines and Bulbinopsis are much rarer in cultivation, yet attractive.The Australian genus Dianella only has small flowers, but these are followed by pretty metallic blue berries.Ex Dianella tasmanica, which may be variegated.Eremurus are fabulous 'bulb' plants that are best planted green from potted plants.It requires a draining soil and not to be disturbed once resumed.The world of succulents has its own followers and collectors.Outside the best protected areas of the Côte d'Azur, aloes, gasterias and hawortias will be grown in pots, greenhouses or verandas, or even indoors during winter and outdoors in summer.Aloes are usually very easy to grow, and some species are quite hardy, such as the magnificent Aloe polyphylla with spiral leaves, grown outdoors all year round at Kew Garden.Among the African genera Haworthia and Gasteria, there are wonderful little plants, such as Haworthia truncata, Haworthia tortuosa, or Harwothia mirabilis, which are exchanged between enthusiasts.The Cornaceae or Cornaceae family is a fairly old family of plants, scientifically poorly defined and often controversial when we do not consider the Cornaceae in the strict sense....Thierry DE RICKEL from LA THYLLE nursery introduces us to the vast family of hydrangeasThe Buxaceae family is ancient and isolated;only a few species remain.Structuring, solid and tough in culture, the Buxaceae, including boxwood, symbol of the garden[...]The Thé Brun family cake is the birthday cake of our childhood, prepared by our grandmothers.Without cooking, but with a little patience, immerse yourself in your[...]Cornaceae Family / CornaceaeBuxaceae family / Buxaceae