Pancratium maritimum is a bulbous perennial of the Mediterranean coastline, found in sandy, shallow soils along beaches and dunes where few other flowering plants persist. Its strap-like basal leaves are the first sign of it, followed by stems bearing white to ivory flowers in the characteristic six-parted funnel form, with the six stamens connected at the base by a thin white membrane that gives the flower its spidery silhouette. The fragrance is strongest at night.

In garden cultivation it performs best in very well-drained, even dry soil in a warm, sunny position — it is built for coastal conditions and resists the excess moisture that most bulbs can tolerate. It suits a gravel garden, a dry stone border, or a container where drainage can be controlled precisely. In colder climates the bulb needs protection from hard frost. It is occasionally grown as a houseplant or in interiorscapes, though flowering is most reliable outdoors in climates that mimic its native Mediterranean range.