Museo dell'intreccio mediterraneo di Castelsardo

ASFODEL (Asphodelus Microcarpus)

Herbaceous perennial plant of the Lily family (liliaceae) with very robust tuberous roots. It thrives in open fields at sea level and also at high altitudes. The leaves, of a greenish blue color, start growing from the roots and sprout in autumn with the first rains. They are ribbon-shaped, narrowing towards the tip. The stem is cylindrical and can be up to 120 cm high. The harvesting of the stems is done manually, by women, in March or April as, harvested in this period the stems retain the properties of malleability and resistance necessary in basketmaking. The stems are used, sectioned and dried, for making food containers: breadbaskets, corbule, baskets, containers for cereals. This fiber is used in the following areas: Planargia (Flussio, Tinnura, Montresta), Barbagia (Olzai, Ollolai) and Ogliastra (Urzulei).