When plants bloom
Jane McGary (Fri, 08 Jun 2007 09:21:53 PDT)

I don't know about California bulbs flowering early (many of those
mentioned as being early are not bulbs or corms in the strict sense, but
rhizomatous or tuberous), but there is a range of very early flowering ones
in the Columbia Gorge between the states of Washington and Oregon:
Fritillaria pudica, Erythronium grandiflorum, Camassia quamash, and
Olsynium douglasii, for example. These can be snowmelt plants at higher
elevations, but where they don't experience winter snow cover for very
long, they flower in early March.

California Fritillaria species that bloom early are F. striata and F.
liliacea; the former has a southern distribution, and the latter is
strictly coastal and never experiences snow cover. Fritillaria affinis,
which has a very long north-south range from Vancouver Island down to south
central California, also varies in when it blooms. Representatives from
different populations that I grow here spread their flowering over about 3
months, reflecting the flowering time in their native habitat, which is
interesting considering that they're being grown in the same conditions.
The earliest is from a California population, and the latest from Mt. Hood,
quite near where I live.

Jane McGary
Northwestern Oregon, USA