Oporanthous bulbs
Jane McGary (Wed, 29 Aug 2007 08:42:05 PDT)

I can add to the list of late-summer-flowering bulbs a few Colchicum
species that always start what I think of as the fall flowering season by
appearing here in late August, regardless of moisture: C. alpinum, and the
Merendera species (now included in Colchicum by some authorities) M.
montana and M. pyrenaica. I'm already seeing some of the larger Colchicum
species and hybrids in flower this summer, but this is abnormal and
probably due to unusually cool temperatures.

In addition to the well-known Acis autumnalis (Leucojum autumnale), A.
valentina, a larger species with pure white flowers, blooms this time of
year. I have several Scilla species (now split up into various new genera
by Speta), which I'll call by their old names here: Scilla autumnalis, S.
intermedia, S. obtusifolia, and S. scilloides. The first three may now be
known as Prospero spp.; I'm not sure where S. scilloides ended up in the
Speta reclassification. S. scilloides is quite winter-hardy despite its
early leaf growth; the others may be limited to warmer gardens.

Jane McGary
Northwestern Oregon, USA