Thank you for all your research Dylan. I will post what I find out about its availability. Colleen NE Calif. -----Original Message----- From: pbs-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:pbs-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Hannon Sent: Friday, April 05, 2013 12:50 PM To: Pacific Bulb Society Subject: Re: [pbs] Cardamine californica Colleen, I've never seen it offered anywhere, alas. Wild populations should not be difficult to find but timing must be good to catch them with ripe fruits. They do "explode" as Nhu mentions so must be collected just before dehiscence or shaken into a bag when they are just ready to open. It should not be difficult to grow from seed allowing for them to be left undisturbed the first few seasons because of their depth. Glenn Keator (Guide to Native Perennials of California, 1990) mentions C. (Dentaria) californica as a good companion for Dodecatheon, Ranunculus californica and other early bulbs. Depending on the population, flowering can extend into April. This book also mentions D. pachystigma and D. gemmata, montane species that need summer moisture. Both sound very attractive. Dylan On 5 April 2013 11:39, Colleen <silkie@frontiernet.net> wrote: > Thanks Dylan, > > Since the tubers grow 5-6 inches down I would think they could > withstand cooler temps, but in researching them I only find mention of > their growing in the milder, coastal locations. I wonder where I might find some to try? > > Colleen > NE Calif > > -----Original Message----- > From: pbs-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org > [mailto:pbs-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org] > On Behalf Of Hannon > Sent: Friday, April 05, 2013 10:00 AM > To: Pacific Bulb Society > Subject: Re: [pbs] Cardamine californica > > Colleen, > > Considering the geographic and elevational range of Milkmaids it > should be at least as hardy as most cismontane brodiaeas. It grows in > shady places in woodlands or on rocky slopes. I have only grown it > incidentally and it seems to benefit from some soil moisture while > formant. The "tubers" are rather deep (5-6" or more down). It is quite > beautiful and unaccountably scarce in cultivation. > > Dylan > _______________________________________________ > pbs mailing list > pbs@lists.ibiblio.org > http://pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php > http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/ > > > _______________________________________________ > pbs mailing list > pbs@lists.ibiblio.org > http://pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php > http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/ > -- *L'aubepine en fleurs fut mon premier alphabet.* [The flowering hawthorn was my first alphabet.] - Rene Char