Chocolate Lily (Arthropodium strictum) is a small native Australian plant that grows in grassland, woodland and forest regions of New South Wales, South Australia, Queensland, Western Australia, Tasmania and Victoria.
Why the common name “Chocolate Lily”?
Because the small purple flowers smells like chocolate. It is rumored children during the depression and scarcity of sweets during World War 2 would stop an smell Chocolate Lilies on the way home from school to remind them of chocolate.
Personally I think they smell more like Chocolate Eclair toffees that we get in Australia.
Chocolate Lilies use to grow proficiently in a certain patch back on the hobby farm that I grew up on. During spring when they were flowering; I use to be very careful in mowing around them on the ride on mower; leave huge patches of un-mown grass in our tree orchard much to Mum’s annoyance
The tubers of the Chocolate Lily is actually a bush tucker and can be eaten raw or roasted – but unfortunately the don’t taste like chocolate.
Growing
- Flowers in spring and then dies down over Summer
- Shoots out again with the Autumn rain
- Can be kept in pots as long as the pots are at least 20cm deep; otherwise transplant to a full sun; or part shade area in a garden bed
