Calochortus report

Michael Mace michaelcmace@gmail.com
Fri, 22 Jun 2012 17:45:52 PDT
Jane wrote:

>> The bulb house is a scene of drying foliage and seed capsules now, except
for the far side of the "dry" bed, where the Calochortus species are in full
bloom

Thanks for the wonderful verbal painting, Jane.  If you have time, I'd love
to see a few photos of that end of the bulb house.  It sounds delightful.
	
I got C. amabilis back into bloom this year after a several year absence,
and right now C. weedi is in bloom, with enormous yellow bowls covered in
hairs and spots on the inside.  This one barely survived a midwinter assault
by snails, who nearly chewed off the stem a few inches above the ground.
But I got lucky, and the plant is tough.  C. luteus just finished (it's a
local form with stippling but no dark eyes on the petals).

I also tried C. argillosus in the ground for the first time, inspired by
what Bob Werra has done with his collection.  It has taken very well to my
low-nutrient clay subsoil, and I think confirms Jane's comments about the
plants preferring to have an extensive root run.  As long as I can keep the
critters away from these things, I'll be trying more species in the ground.

Folks, if you haven't tried Calochortus in the past, they are a bit
particular but well worth the trouble.

Mike
San Jose, CA (zone 9, min temp 20F / -7C)






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