Arthropodium minus

Arthropodium minus is a small plant that lives for years. Its common name is the small vanilla lily. The RHS places it in the family Asparagaceae. It is native to New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania. It grows from the coast up to alpine areas. Its habitats include eucalyptus forests, woodlands and meadows below the alpine zone. It likes drier sites than its relative, Arthropodium milleflorum.

The plant grows about 1 foot (0.3 metres) tall. Its small size suits it to garden beds. It has a strong vanilla scent. Warm days make the scent stand out more. Plants For A Future lists May as its bloom month. Each flower has both male and female organs. The supplied species evidence says no more about the flowers. It does not describe the leaves, stems or fruit. Each plant forms about four or five tubers at its roots. Each tuber can grow about 0.1 feet (0.03 metres) long.

Choose a warm, sunny spot with shelter from harsh weather. Plants For A Future says it will not grow in shade. It likes moist soil that drains well. Sand or loam suits it best. Its first choice is a sandy, peaty loam. The soil can be slightly acid, neutral or slightly alkaline. Though it likes moist soil, water must drain well. It grows in some dry sites in the wild. Yet the advice for garden plants calls for moist soil.

Plants For A Future lists USDA hardiness zones 7–10. It reports that plants lived through 19°F (−7°C) in Australian gardens. This does not prove they withstand the same cold in British gardens. Cooler summers may change how well they survive. Longer, wetter winters may do so too. The source also calls for a sheltered site. Sow seed in a cold greenhouse in late winter. Keep young plants under glass for at least their first winter. Plant them out in late spring or early summer, after the last frost. You can also split plants in spring to grow more.

The cooked roots are edible and have a watery texture. They can taste slightly sweet or a little bitter. The source gives them a modest rating for food use. It reports no known hazards but does not establish pet safety. It lists no uses as medicine or for other tasks. The scent gives a clear reason to grow it in beds. Plants For A Future does not flag it as weedy.