[Solved: Moraea ochroleuca] Unidentified Yellow Flowering Bulb

[Kelly Haberer]

I just joined the forum and I am already looking for help. This bulb (presumably) appeared in neighborhood yards in the East Bay of Northern California following two years of above normal rainfall. Local nurseries have not been able to identify it. I would love to add it to my yard. I am attaching both pictures of the plant in the ground and closeups of the yellow, six pedal flowers. Thanks in advance to  the society and forum members.

[Uli]

Hello Kelly,
Welcome to the forum! Don't worry about starting with a question, that's what this forum is for!
Your photos show Moraea ochroleuca, a South African Bulb. It may self seed a lot if happy but in my garden it is well behaved and flowers for quite a long time. There is also an orange form but it is not as common as the yellow form.
Bye for now

[Kelly Haberer]

Uli — Thanks so much for the identification. I see there is a good deal information on the Internet regarding this South African bulb and I will do further research on Moraea ochroleuca. 

[petershaw]

Hi Kelly,

we were at the Berkeley BG a couple weeks ago and the SA bulb display was beyond beautiful. I saw this Moraea in bloom in several locations in the area.
I hope you have had a chance to see the garden.

[Kasbek]

Mixed bags of the yellow and orange form were sold in German supermarkets years ago (around 2010) under the former genus name Homeria at low prices for spring planting. I tried them once – but I failed to re-vitalize them in their second year.