D. maritima is a deciduous, borderline hardy, bulbous perennial with long, lance-shaped, mid- to grey-green leaves and dense racemes of small, veined, star-shaped, white flowers blooming in late summer and early autumn before the leaves emerge.
Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils
The bulb is poisonous in large doses. The red form especially has a fairly specific action on rats. The fresh bulb contains an acrid juice that can cause skin blisters