Dichelostemma capitatum

Boyce Tankersley btankers@chicagobotanic.org
Fri, 08 Apr 2005 09:44:36 PDT
Just a quick note with regards to green roof plant selection. Roof top gardens typically experience much more stress than gardens in terra firma. The radiant heat from not only the surrounding building but also from the building below are factors that suggest plant selection from climates that experience greater heat and greater drought than the local populations. Having said that, there will be those extreme cold weather events that suggest plant selection from populations experiencing the same or colder temperatures. 

We are in the 'blue sky' thinking mode about support for a new roof garden in Chicago. The natural vegetation of the Chicago area are tall-grass prairies. Past experience has taught us that a tall grass prairie is not the ideal community to try to establish and maintain on a roof-top garden. Our 'ideal' plant populations - we think - will be from glades (areas of thin poor soil overlaying limestone or dolomite bedrock). Glades are more prevalent in regions to our southwest (by a couple of hundred miles) yet still in our USDA climate zone 5 definition of minimum winter temperatures.

Information about greening of cities (and roof top gardens) is one of the topics of the American Association of Botanic Gardens and Arboreta (aabga.org for more details and registration information) meeting to be held in Chicago this summer.

Boyce Tankersley
btankers@chicagobotanic.org

-----Original Message-----
From: pbs-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org
[mailto:pbs-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org]On Behalf Of Gilbert Nancy L Contr
9 CES/CEC
Sent: Friday, April 08, 2005 10:27 AM
To: 'Pacific Bulb Society'
Cc: 'nancyames@accessbee.com'
Subject: RE: [pbs] Dichelostemma capitatum


Thanks Paige. I think this may be the same project, as they want very large
numbers and we are contemplating whether or not to pursue growing for them.
We tried to suggest that they be more flexible with species selection, but
they seemed quite commited to the plant list/spec. We don't want to send
lots of our bulbs up there to rot out in your climate, as it would be a
waste as far as we are concerned. How much rainfall do you receive?
-Nancy

-----Original Message-----
From: pbs-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:pbs-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org]
On Behalf Of Pacific Rim
Sent: Thursday, April 07, 2005 10:17 PM
To: Pacific Bulb Society
Subject: Fw: [pbs] Dichelostemma capitatum


Hello, Nancy and all. We are in southern BC and have also been fielding
calls about Dichelostemma capitatum. This is one of a number of plants
native to parts south of BC -- mainly California -- that have been specified
for a huge, expensive, flowering-roof project in Vancouver.  Normally there
is little call for D. capitatum here, because our climate doesn't suit it.
Or anyway, that is my experience. Test plots have been set up for this huge
project, however; I wonder if  the specs will be revised.

Paige Woodward
paige@hillkeep.ca
http://www.hillkeep.ca/

> Greetings,
> We have recently had a person from Southern British Columbia inquire 
> about whether or not Dichelostemma Capitatum would do well in their 
> climate (planted in the ground, not in pots). The climate at this site 
> is similar to Seattle, WA. Since this is out of Blue Dicks native 
> range and the rainfall is quite high, I am wondering if anyone living 
> up that way would share their
> experience with growing this species in their garderns or meadows, and if
> it
> will naturalize or not,if you need to amend the soil for better drainage,
> etc.
> Thanks for any advice.
> NANCY GILBERT
> Grass Valley, California

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