In North America this showy Mediterranean species is often cultivated but rarely persists. In Ky. there are a few records of persistent plants but no clear evidence of natualization. A coll. from GRAV (R. Athey #2310; check EKY) is identified as G. byzantinus P. Mill., which has been combined with communis or treated as a subspecies. Cultivars may be derived from hybrids involving several different taxa.