Calochortus inquiry

Jane McGary janemcgary@earthlink.net
Fri, 11 Jan 2019 15:51:38 PST
Lyndon asked about one of the Rocky Mountain Calochortus species. I've 
always found these continental-climate species difficult to germinate 
too. However, seed purchased from Alplains in the past 2 years has done 
well. I don't know what the difference is, but it may have something to 
do with the annual climatic cycle. The ones that worked for me were sown 
at the end of summer, when received, and kept in a covered, well-lit, 
unheated shed exposed to periodic moderate frost. I have raised to 
flowering size C. macrocarpus and C. longebarbatus, the latter from the 
Columbia River Gorge, a transition zone between the maritime Northwest 
and the semi-arid steppe.

I haven't tried planting the bulbs out yet and will probably keep them 
under cover, though unheated, on the theory that bulbs which spend a 
long winter under snow don't want much moisture during that time.

Lyndon should be able to grow C. apiculatus quite well outdoors, in 
nutrient-poor, very well drained soil.


Jane McGary, Portland, Oregon, USA

On 1/11/2019 2:56 PM, Lyndon Penner wrote:
> So, here in southern Alberta, we have only a single species of Calochortus;
> that is *Calochortus apiculata*, commonly called mariposa lily.
>
> It often grows very abundantly on sunny slopes and meadows. I have gathered
> seed from it several times but have never gotten any to germinate.
>
> The question is, has anyone tried this species and had any success with it?
> Any advice? I'd love to have it a sunny, sharply drained rock garden but it
> seems to me it prefers not to be cultivated.
>
> -Lyndon
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