Bulbs ovoid, 4-6 × 3-5 cm, tunic pale to dark brown. Leaves 4; blade flat, 25-35 cm × 8-15(-20) mm, glaucous. Inflorescences umbellate, 5-15-flowered, 25-35 cm; spathe pale brown, 4-6 cm, papery. Flowers strongly fragrant; perianth 2-4 cm wide; perianth tube 1.5-2 cm, gradually tapering to base; distinct portions of tepals spreading to reflexed, white to cream, linear-ovate to oblanceolate, 1-2 × 0.5-1 cm, apex acute; corona yellow, cup-shaped, 3-5 × 5-10 mm, apex crenulate to ruffled; 3 shorter stamens included within perianth tube, 3 longer stamens and style exserted into mouth of corona; pedicel of variable length, to 8 cm. 2n = 22.

Flowering late winter--spring. Roadsides, waste places; 0--100 m; introduced; Ala., Ark., Calif., Fla., La., Miss., N.C., Oreg., S.C., Tex., Va.; w Europe (s Portugal), Mediterranean region; sw Asia (Iran); naturalized in Kashmir, China, and Japan; expected naturalized elsewhere.