Five favorite yellow-flowered geophytes

Jim McKenney jimmckenney@starpower.net
Wed, 21 Jan 2004 09:14:35 PST
Here's my list. On second thought, here are my lists. The first one lists
those yellow-flowered geophytes established in the garden; these are plants
which can be relied on in this area. The second list gives five which are
not so reliable: I've grown them all, but they eventually disappear. The
third list is a dream list: five yellow-flowered geophytes I would very
much like to acquire. 

Tulipa (wild and cultivated) and Narcissus (ditto) have both been omitted;
they are here in abundance and there are lots of favorites among them.

Here are the five reliable sorts:
1. Eranthis hyemalis; and I mean the western European forms, not the
eastern forms sometimes called E. cilicica. 
2. Trillium luteum; the name is dubious, but a clump of this pale
yellow-flowered sessile Trillium has been here for over thirty years. 
3. Hymenocallis Sulphur Queen; not really a garden plant here, although it
has survived winters near a wall. 
4. Lilium hansonii; one of the few martagon types which does well in this
area; this lily has an interesting history which might make a good basis
for another thread. 
5. Sternbergia lutea in the familiar commercial form. Is this a clone? Does
it ever set seed? 

Here are five not so reliable here:
1. Colchicum luteum: can't seem to decide if it wants to be Pakistani or
Indian
2. Fritillaria imperialis Lutea Maxima: almost always rots after blooming  
3. Iris danfordiae: good for a few years but eventually goes 
4. Iris winogradowii: faints during the summer
5. Sternbergia clusiana: a martyr to bulb fly here

Here's the wish list:
1. Hymenocallis amancaes
2. Paramongaia weberbaueri
3. a truly hardy, vigorous yellow-flowered Lycoris
4. a reliably hardy yellow-flowered Bletilla
5. a yellow tiger lily (Lilium lancifolium aka L. tigrinum), if there has
ever been such a thing


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