It is the end of January, but spring like weather has arrived in our Sacramento, California garden. Actually Leucojum aestivum has been blooming for many weeks now, rain or shine, cold or warm. I grow them from seed and always hope for something different or better. No luck in this department yet!
I also grow Eranthis hyemalis from seed. Like many of the perennial species we grow, they are dependent on a number of winter chilling hours for optimum growth and health. I generally sow seed in seed pans and grow them on for several seasons before planting them out. Heat conduction through the soil of potted plants has become an issue with a number of species. They emerge and bloom much later in the season than those in the ground and will decline if action is not taken. These days I shift the seedlings into the ground as soon as possible. The goal is to create a race of plants that require fewer chilling hours to perform well, much like peaches and apples varieties that have been bred to require fewer chilling hours.
Galanthus is another genus where some species seem to require adequate winter chilling hours to perform well and survive. I grow all my Galanthus from seed in hopes of developing varieties that perform well despite our warming climate.
A variety of Crocus species and hybrids do well in our garden. Sadly, they do not readily set seed in our garden.
In general, California native species thrive in our garden, especially those native to the hot interior regions of the state. There are exceptions. Dudleya palmeri thrives in our garden as well as many annual species such as the Clarkia (sprouting near the Dudleya) and a large variety of California native bulbs.
