Calochortus 2009-2010

[David Nicholson]

We don't seem to have a thread for Calochortus so thought I would start one.

This genera is one of my latest obsessions and was prompted by buying Mary Gerritsen and Ron Parson's book 'Calochortus: Mariposa Lilies and their Relatives' early last year. It's published by Timber Press and is well worth the money if you fancy having a try at them. So far I have bulbs of C. barbatus; luteus, which I thought I had lost but haven't; palmeri, uniflorus and superbus. I'm growing from seed C. albus; albus rubellus; argilosus; barbatus; clavatus; gunnisonii; obispoensis; superbus and venustus.

Here is my very first one to flower Calochortus uniflorus. I love the blue anthers and the pink style and the white hairs in the eye of the flower.

[Ragged Robin]

Lovely close up photo of your Calochortus, David, no wonder you are enamored with it.... the blue anthers, pink style and soft white hairs are so soft and graceful - As I know nothing about this bulb your posting has made me curious 

[Lesley Cox]

It is indeed a lovely thing. In NZ however, it is on a noxious weed list (illegal to grow it) because of its propenisty for producing many small bulbils up the stems in all the leaf axils. I think the "weed" status is ridiculous. Yes, it increases quickly but so do a million other plants which haven't been slammed. Because of this status, we may not import bulbs of other species at this time. They are all classified as "requires assessment." This is a pain as Marcus Harvey in Australia lists quite a lot of species. We are allowed to get seed though, of quite a number and Ron Ratko in Oregon has an excellent selection. They are all interesting and beautiful plants, neglected by most people. I especially love C. amabilis which is one of the fairy lantern group.

[Diane Whitehead]

Lesley, it is lovely.  I have seen it often in the wild, but
never in a garden.  Is it in your garden?

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Looking good David !
I bet you hope it will grow like a weed .... 

[fermi de Sousa]

This genera is one of my latest obsessions and was prompted by buying Mary Gerritsen and Ron Parson's book 'Calochortus: Mariposa Lilies and their Relatives' early last year.

Yes, those two have a lot to answer for!
This is a great genus for us in Central Victoria as most should grow outdoors for us. So you're doing really well, David, as I imagine you have these under glass or in a frame
I've managed to get a few to flower from seed, including Cc superbus, splendens, clavatus, amabilis (not as vigorously as Lesley does!) and albus. And I've just bought some more from Ron Ratko to try! The NARGS Seedex is always heavy with them as well so join up if you aren't already a member.
There's always something to look forward to when you grow from seed!
cheers
fermi

[Hans A.]

David and Lesley thanks for the pics of this great plants - I tried them several times but I was not able to grow this "weed" - maybe it does not like lime?

[David Nicholson]

David and Lesley thanks for the pics of this great plants - I tried them several times but I was not able to grow this "weed" - maybe it does not like lime?

I can't be absolutely certain Hans but I don't think the book I mentioned indicates that lime is helpful for any of the species.

Glad to see I'm growing a "noxious weed" Lesley but I bet it isn't in my greenhouse

Fermi, they will all be under glass with me.

[Lesley Cox]

I have uniflorus (syn lilacinus) in a pot for control's sake and the amabilis is in a raised bed with reticulate irises, crocuses etc and a lot of small alpines. At most I get 2 or 3 seeds any year from amabilis. So far as I can see, pulchellus is just about identical, unless I have either one wrongly named.

[Paul T]

I still can't work out how in heck I managed to lose uniflorus a few years ago.  One year the pots were empty, no idea why.  I've never got around to replacing it, but must one of these days as it was such a beautiful flower. 

I grow a few of the others from seed, as well as some mature bulbs that I have bought at times.  They do OK for me but not brilliantly, but I am thinking that I probably have them in pots that are a bit small.  C. luteus is the one that has persisted for me the longest, and I have also flowered it from seed as well.  I think that some of them I used to have got too much summer water because I watered my pots, but I am no longer as avid with summer watering and a lot of things have to more fend for themselves.  Maybe that is why the seedlings coming along from the last few years are doing so well for me these days. 

[Luc Gilgemyn]

I've got superbus - uniflorus and luteus in bud right now.
Looking forward to them flowering as I've never grown them before...

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Here's my C. uniflorus in flower.
From just 3 bulbs I'm counting 20 buds ?? 

[Paul T]

Beautiful.

[Ragged Robin]

how long does it flower for Luc?  A lovely flower and blue stamens 

[Luc Gilgemyn]

One flower seems to last about a week Robin  - and how long from first to last flower, I don't really know but I still see new buds emerging  so it seems it will be a while