Camassia

[Palustris]

We have an awful lot of these. they grow rather too well here, but I was asked if they are hardy enough to grow in Scotalnd.

nyone growing them in really cold parts of the world?

[Maggi Young]

They do grow  in various places around Scotland - though not, I believe, in the  quantities that you see in Wisley etc!
Happy enough in a sunny spot in Aberdeen.

[Jacek]

They grow in Poland but they don't like my garden. They just survive, but don't flower. I suppose they don't like the relatively infertile, dry, sandy soils that dominate in the lowlands of Poland. I have seen camassias flowering perfectly in the mountains, where soils are heavy and always wet.

[P. Kohn]

Amazingly tough plants. They were a component of one of James Hitchmough's plantings down the central reservation of a dual carriageway here in Sheffield several years ago. Unfortunately the strip was not given its annual flame-thrower treatment in late winter and is now a lovely stand of dandelions through which the Camassias still emerge at this time of year and make a wonderful show of blue. We haven't had Central European cold but the past winter with late frost did damage to many plants but has had zero effect on the Camassias (nor on the ones in my own garden). As near bomb-proof as any plant can be.

[Mariette]

Regarding North America, where camassias come from, they shouldn´t be harmed by frost. They grow well in the heavy soil of my garden, which is most of the year wet. Yet they are very popular with voles, which may cause heavy losses. My Camassia leichtlinii grew as prolifically as those of Palustris, but were completely lost to these creatures.

[Leena]

Also here blue camassias has survived for many years, but I lost the white one in a hard winter.

[Palustris]

Thanks folks. I thought as much, but nice to have my opinion confirmed. We have a well drained peaty silt type soil here which is very well drained but does retain some moisture. The camassias (all species) grow best here in light dappled shade.  This is a very rural garden so plenty of rodents, but they do not seem to do much to reduce the numbers of bulbs. I dig up and throw away dozens of them every year. The only one which does not do well is the variegated one.

[Paul Cumbleton]

They do grow  in various places around Scotland - though not, I believe, in the  quantities that you see in Wisley etc!
Happy enough in a sunny spot in Aberdeen.

We called in at Wisley a couple of weeks ago and caught the Camassias at their best. Really wonderful display this year!

Paul