flower seen in Borrego Springs, common name 'Desert Lily', maybe Hesperocallis

Lee Poulsen wpoulsen@pacbell.net
Thu, 21 Mar 2019 17:59:54 PDT
I finally saw these in the Anza-Borrego desert a couple of years ago. Borrego Springs is the town in that desert that is adjacent to the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park in Southern California. They are currently having a superbloom, so we’re thinking of visiting there tomorrow.

Kipp says this species is not easy to grow. Does that mean he knows how to grow it in captivity? And if so, is he wiling to share his secret recipe? Every time I’ve tried the seeds they germinate easily and in large numbers. But I have only gotten one seedling to return the following year maybe three times out of probably 6 or 7 attempts. I read somewhere that Theodore Payne Foundation was closing in on a method of growing it in captivity, but I don’t know what the current status of that effort is. Once, way back in the days of IBS, mature bulbs of Hesperocallis were offered. (I think they were rescued from a building development or highway project where they were all dug up and tossed aside.) I planted one in a very sandy sandy mix in a 2-foot (60 cm) tall black tree pot and kept it out in the blazing sun all summer. It never sprouted even though I would check each summer and the bulb was still there, the same size as always. This went on for 3 years. Then after one particularly wet winter, the bulb was gone the next summer; looked like it had rotted.

Lastly, my aunt and uncle have a place down in San Felipe, Baja California, Mexico about 190 km south of Mexicali on the U.S. border. They were there this past January and the desert there was filled with flowers of all kinds, including Hesperocallis everywhere. I didn’t know they were found that far south. I’ll try to attach one of her pictures of one of them (but I’m not sure of the proper procedure). She also took photos of a field full of Lupines. I don’t know if this is one of the geophytic species, but I’ll try to attach a couple, too.

--Lee Poulsen
Pasadena, California, USA - USDA Zone 10a
Latitude 34°N, Altitude 1150 ft/350 m









> On Mar 21, 2019, at 3:42 PM, Kipp McMichael <kimcmich@hotmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Greetings,
> 
>  Definitely Hesperocallis undulata and now is right on time for their bloom - though they are opportunistic so they come earlier or later depending on rainfall.
> 
>  I have sent seed of H. undulata to the BX in the past. I may be able to send some again this year. It is not easy to grow and, I imagine, wants a far deeper substrate the most growers can provide.
> ________________________________
> From: pbs <pbs-bounces@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> on behalf of M Gastil-Buhl <gastil.buhl@gmail.com>
> 
> This photo was taken in Borrego Springs this month and sent to me as
> 'Desert Lily'. Anyone recognize its species?

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