Calochortus kennedyi
Jane McGary (Fri, 01 May 2009 13:26:31 PDT)
Mary Sue wrote
Hi,
A friend of mine sent me some pictures of Calochortus kennedyi taken this
month. I didn't know it bloomed that early. Even though we had it pictured
on the wiki, she had some interesting habitat pictures so I asked her if I
could add them to the wiki and she agreed. This is a very difficult
Calochortus to grow and flower I understand as I've never tried to do it,
but it is really beautiful.
It does seem strange that it would flower this early, as it is a
high-elevation species from the Southwest. I grow it here, where it
flowered for the first time last year. I got the seeds from Sally
Walker (Southwest Native Seeds -- don't bother looking for a
website!). I was happy to see that the form I grew is the deep,
brilliant orange one, as there is also a yellow form that would not
be so spectacular.
I grow it in a large clay pot plunged in the bulb frame and it is not
totally dry in summer, but nearly so.
Jane McGary
Northwestern Oregon, USA