Dichelostemma ida-maia always blooms for me on May 15, as it does in its type locality considerably north of here, but its name has nothing to do with the date. Alphonso Wood, who named it, also noted the coincidence: http://twogardens.blogspot.com/2008/05/… Ixia viridiflora also bloomed for me reliably on this date, but has now dwindled away completely, and my D. ida-maia is also suffering. I blame low winter rain (we've had about 20" per year, or less, until this year), but it could also be compete desiccation in the summer. I welcome any thoughts. In the same bulb bed where the Ixia and Dichelostemma were lost, a single Calochortus superbus that has struggled through the last 5 years or so now has 14 visible buds, the first of which opened today: http://www.flickr.com/photos/badthings/5725225486/ I attribute this to better winter rain this year, but I am still astonished at its promiscuity. I'd be interested to hear of other floriferous Calochortus. Finally, I'm about to have a bumper crop of Asphodelus albus, which I'd be happy to send to the PBX, if there's interest. Best, Max Oakland